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Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Department

Air Quality and Environment Division

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Bryan, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Who are we?

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is an agency of the State of Texas and member of The Texas A&M University System. For 70 years, TTI has addressed complex transportation challenges and opportunities with innovation, objectivity, and unmatched technical expertise. Our staff delivers excellence, value and thought leadership to ensure our research sponsors achieve their goals.

Our Mission and Vision

Our Vision - TTI leads in the creation of knowledge that transforms transportation for the benefit of society.

Our Mission - TTI delivers practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the movement of people, data and goods through research, education and technology transfer.

Our Work Environment

Entrepreneurial culture

Affiliation with Texas A&M University students and faculty

Ability to work with nationally recognized experts

Ability to help train the next generation of transportation professionals

Premier office and research facilities and equipment

Accredited laboratories and safety proving ground

Outstanding research support services

Hybrid work environment/telecommuting

Flexible work hours

Family friendly

High staff retention rates

Leadership development and wellness programs

Data allowance and home office equipment reimbursements

Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Tuition reimbursement program (if eligible)

Our Employee Benefits

TTI employees can choose from several health coverage options offered by The Texas A&M University System for themselves and their families, as well as numerous other benefit programs.

https://www.tamus.edu/business/benefits-administration/

What you need to know

+ TTI is a Texas based agency. This position has the flexibility of a hybrid remote option with two days in a TTI Texas based office. This can be discussed further during the interview process.

+ The salary range for position is $60K-$70K. Final salary will be determined based on the applicant's qualifications and experience.

Job Summary:

The successful applicant for this job will conduct applied research in the areas of transportation, traffic-related air pollution, human exposure assessment and public health impact modelling. Part of the work will be focused on developing full-chain health impact assessment models to assess transportation planning and policy decisions in major US cities, for example the adoption of electric cars and electric bikes. This is an entry level position for a candidate who has recently completed a PhD in transportation engineering or planning, air pollution modeling, health impact and risk assessment of air pollution and/or related scientific disciplines such as data sciences. We are looking for candidates with strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving abilities who are eager to engage in research across emerging and interdisciplinary fields, as they build towards a research or an academic career. A background in publishing in academic journals will be considered an advantage. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

Essential Duties:

+ Conduct applied Research (65%) – Conduct applied research on sponsored projects in the area of full-chain health impact assessment. The work will include a. conducting and writing literature reviews and critical literature synthesis, b. desk data collection of traffic/mobility/travel, air pollution and public health data, c. QA/QC of collected and analyzed data and data validation and verification against independent sources, d. data summary and analyses, e. modeling of individual or multiple elements of the full-chain between transportation and public health outcomes including traffic and people’s mobility, air pollution, spatial assignment of exposures, human exposures, and public health impacts, in addition to models’ validation and verification, developing innovative methods for dynamic exposure assessment (assigning exposures to other locations outside the residential address only), and g. developing visualization tools to present results (e.g., using Shiny in R, or Tableau).

+ Development of Research Deliverables and Publications (25%) – Prepare high-quality research deliverables, including project briefs, reports, journal publications for peer-review, and presentations. Lead papers for academic journals from submission to review and up until publication.

+ Project Managements and Research Oversight (5%) – Manage projects or tasks in a larger project including the potential to supervise graduate research assistants and student workers and interns who will support the candidate’s role and larger project. The candidate will plan, administer, implement and evaluate research activities, coordinate with other team members, support staff and PI, and will provide oversight to student employees on the same project.

+ Other duties as assigned (5%) – These may include assisting with proposal development, leading or participating in meetings, presenting research ideas, methods and findings, and documenting meeting minutes, discussions and outcomes with funders, collaborators and the research team.

Required Education & Experience:

+ Ph.D. in Civil, Environmental, or Transportation Engineering, Urban or Transport Planning, Environmental Sciences, Air Pollution Modeling, Health Impact Assessment, or a related field including Environmental Epidemiology or Data Sciences.

+ No prior experience required.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

+ Research Methodology & Critical Thinking: Strong foundation in research methodology, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.

+ Data Analytics & Statistical Analysis: Proficiency in data analytics and statistical methods, particularly using tools such as R, Python, or other relevant software.

+ Experience with Data Visualization & Programming: Expertise in data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, ggplot2) and programming languages (e.g., Python, R).

+ Strong Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

+ Transportation & Air Pollution Modelling: Understanding of transportation full-chain modeling, including the intersection of transportation-related air pollution exposure and public health.

+ Proficiency in Office & Collaboration Tools: Strong skills in Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and familiarity with collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, Slack, SharePoint).

+ Independent & Collaborative Work: Ability to work independently on complex research tasks while effectively collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across multiple institutions and projects.

+ Time Management & Project Delivery: Exceptional time management skills, with a proven ability to prioritize tasks and deliver high-quality products within established deadlines.

+ Ethical Research Practices: Commitment to maintaining high ethical standards in research, including data integrity and responsible research conduct.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

+ Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Knowledge of GIS for spatial analysis, including tools such as ArcGIS or QGIS.

+ Publication & Presentation Experience: Experience in publishing research in peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at conferences or academic settings.

+ Database Management: Experience with database management systems and data warehousing, including the ability to handle large datasets.

+ Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work across disciplines, integrating insights from fields such as urban and transport planning, environmental science, public health, and engineering.

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.