Agency

Department

Job Summary

The Research Assistant is responsible for performing skilled, administrative, and managerial support work for various research projects. Specifically, the position will involve assisting in the design, planning, scheduling, and executing of laboratory and field research work including experimentations, equipment installation/removal, site monitoring, data collection, and non-destructive pavement testing. The position will also involve managing the student laboratories as well as providing technical support, maintenance, and management of research equipment. The position will also involve extensive routine fieldwork travels including working after normal business hours, weekends, and/or at night, as needed. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Fieldwork travels and data collection (33%)

• Equipment installation in the field, sensor setup, site checks, and removal (30%)

• Assist in the design, planning, scheduling, and coordinating laboratory and field experimental works in support of various research projects (7%)

• Program coding, machine learning algorithms, macros, & software development for data processing, analysis, and quality control (QC) checks (5%)

• Data analysis, synthesis, quality checks, technical auditing/review, report writing, & documentation (10%)

• Maintenance and management of research equipment and student labs (5%)

• Computational modeling, finite element analysis, & numerical simulations (5%)

• Laboratory testing and scientific measurements, as needed (3%)

• Assist student workers and other junior technical staff, as needed (1%)

• Assist and perform other duties, as assigned by senior researchers (1%)

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field

• No work experience required

Preferred Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering related field

• Six months to one year of related experience

• Knowledge of piezoelectric and Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) sensors

• Electrical engineering and electronics knowledge

• Program coding and software development skills including Machine Learning and AI algorithms

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability and flexibility to routinely travel for fieldwork including work beyond normal business hours, weekends, and/or at night, as needed

• Familiarity with Python, AbaQus, MATLAB, and VBA software platforms

• Conversant with the basic Microsoft Office software package

• Ability to perform traffic data analysis and quality checks

• Ability to perform finite element modeling

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Other Requirements

• Ability/flexibility to routinely travel for fieldwork.

• Flexibility to work beyond normal business hours, weekends, and/or at night, as needed

• May be required to work in hot, cold, and extreme weather conditions.

• Ability to perform common office functions and fluently communicate with others.

• Valid USA Class C driver’s license or ability to obtain within 30 days of employment

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Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift moderately heavy objects, as needed.

• Ability to exert heavy force, as needed.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.