Research Job Opportunities

Position Overview

The Center for Secure and Dependable Systems at the University of Idaho is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to participate in the National Science Foundation EPSCoR funded Idaho Community-engaged Resilience for Energy-Water Systems (I-CREWS) project.

The position will predominately work with the I-CREWS modeling and characterize teams to collate, assess and generate physical models and integrate measurement data to produce datasets in support of the ICREWS project. These datasets will include physical and social science datasets related to energy and water resilience to stressors at regional and local scales. This individual will also work with the I-CREWS alternative futures team to generate data for use assessing energy-water resilience in future scenarios. The individual will collaboratively work with the modeling, alternative futures team and Energy Water Data Hub, as well as other I-CREWS project personnel. This individual will also work collaboratively to support workforce development goals in the I-CREWS project through the development of instructional materials for audiences such as students, other project team members and the public.

Job Duties

Research (Estimated effort: 70%):

• The position will predominately work with the project I-CREWS modeling and characterize teams develop energy-water system datasets generated through a combination of physical models and historical measurement of energy and water systems in that and region. These datasets will also include physical and social science datasets related to energy and water resilience to stressors at regional and local scales. This individual will also work with the I-CREWS alternative futures team to generate data for use in low-fidelity virtual reality environments.

Workforce Development (Estimated effort: 25%):

• This position will develop online training materials on how to access, analyze and use spatial datasets to describe energy and water systems. These modules would be integrated within courses offered by the University of Idaho Certificate in Environmental Education and Science Communication and the online Masters in Geographic Information Science, as well as courses broadly offered by I-CREWS partner institutions.

Instruction (Estimated effort: 5%):

• Assist in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students conducting research related to interactions between energy and water systems, especially characterizing and modeling energy-water systems and assessing datasets for machine learning applications.

Requirements

Education

• PhD in electrical engineering or related field with a power emphasis with a strong focus on energy-water modeling

Experience

• Experience in using power system modeling and simulation tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in publishing in peer-reviewed literature
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills
• Experience in communication to scientific audiences
• Experience in risk and resilience research related to energy or water systems
• Interest in developing instructional summary materials for audiences such as students, other project team members and the public
• Interest in working in a large collaborative team
• Proficient in both written and spoken English

Physical Requirements

• None

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on April 29, 2025.

Position Overview (h4)

The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) is seeking a Research Support Geologist position to support ongoing grant-funded projects at IGS for aggregate and building material sources inventory in Idaho. Based in Moscow, Idaho, the Research Support Geologist position reports to the grant Co-PIs with input from other IGS staff. The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) is a non-regulatory state agency that leads in the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of geologic and mineral data for Idaho. The Survey’s mission is to provide the state with timely and relevant geologic information. Members of the IGS fulfill this mission through applied geologic research and strong collaborations with federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector.

The Research Support Geologist position will assist IGS staff in the collection, compilation, analysis and interpretation of records related to sources of aggregate and construction materials, including type, locations, ownership, lab analysis, testing and quality specifications.

The position is responsible for digitizing a variety of media, cataloging and geolocating the data, and constructing records in spatial relational databases utilizing Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

Job Duties (h4)

Curating, processing, and archiving records: (Estimated effort: 40%):(h5)

• Managing paper, digital data, images, and other media designated appropriate for data preservation efforts according to established archival methods
• Geolocating media and determining suitability for processing
• Digitizing and otherwise processing media to a format suitable for archive

Preparing records for public delivery (Estimated effort: 40%):(h5)

• Digitizing and otherwise processing media to a format suitable for dissemination to the public
• Creating records in relational databases to describe processed media
• Uploading data to web servers and YouTube as appropriate
• Assisting with grant-funded deliverables
• Generating high-quality metadata

Contributing to team effort (Estimated effort: 15%):(h5)

• Assisting staff as requested with efforts related to data preservation
• Training and assisting student employees in map reading, scanning protocols, and database entry
• Assisting with management of complicated data preservation workflows
• Performing QAQC of scanned documents and maps
• Performing QAQC of database entries
• Assisting with public and state and federal agency requests for data
• Participating in meetings and creating minutes summaries

Completing other duties as designated (Estimated effort: 5%):(h5)

• Assisting with other related duties as assigned by supervisor

Requirements (h4)

Education (h5)

• Bachelor’s Degree; four years of working experience in geoscience or GIS applied to geoscience may substitute for a Bachelor’s Degree

Experience (h5)

• Using GIS software like ESRI ArcPRO and Google Earth
• Common digital media file types such as PDF, TIFF, JPEG
• Using computer software and applications for document, video and photo editing such as Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat
• Using computer software and applications for word processing, email, internet searches, and data organization
• Handling a variety of projects simultaneously that require a high degree of attention to administrative details

Preferred Qualifications (h4)

• Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) in Geology, Geography, or a related field
• Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science (ALA accredited)
• Relevant professional work experience
• Working knowledge of relational databases
• GIS certification
• Coursework or experience in digital collections management
• Experience with geologic maps, mine mineral resources maps, and related documents
• Basic knowledge of Idaho geography

Physical Requirements (h4)

• Must be able to carry, lift, or otherwise move equipment weighing up to 20 pounds
• Occasional in-state overnight travel to visit satellite offices.

Additional information (h4)

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on June 2, 2025.

Position Overview

This position will work on the NSF-funded project Crossing the Innovation Valley of Death: Democratizing Data and Artificial Intelligence for Research Administration. They will collaborate with research administrators and technology developers to build stakeholder relationships and create communication strategies and training programs. This role is central to building a community of practice through instructional design and strategic engagement while supporting the faculty, staff and students contributing to the project. The role combines expertise in adult learning with a passion for collaborative networks that drive innovation and knowledge sharing across institutions, bridging research administration with emerging technologies.

This position supports the planning and completion of educational, outreach or professional programs; working with program staff, students, the public and/or agencies, to plan and oversee program activities. May lead a distinct area for the program such as outreach, assessment or financial management.

Duties may include:

• Participate in the development and implementation of program deliverables, services, and activities
• Coordinate a team with a variety array of talents and responsibilities
• Collect, compile, and summarize program data for reports
• Participate in developing program operating goals, objectives and protocols
• Maintain program budgets, monitoring and reviewing transactions for compliance with program requirements
• Active participation in the development and submission of program proposals
• Lead collection and compilation of program assessment data
• May supervise the work of others or lead a team to accomplish assigned goals
• Other duties as assigned

Job Duties

Lead Community Engagement and Communications by: (Estimated effort: 40%):

• Developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies for various audiences including research administrators, data scientists and technology developers
• Creating and maintaining a community of practice portal with resources, discussion forums and collaborative tools
• Facilitating community engagement events including workshops, webinars and learning circles to strengthen connections and present content

Develop and Coordinate Research Administrator Training Program by (Estimated effort: 40%):

• Leading a team in the creation of interactive training modules that accommodate different learning styles and technical proficiencies
• Designing and coordinating training programs and educational materials using adult learning principles and evidence-based methodologies
• Conducting needs assessments to identify knowledge gaps and develop targeted training interventions for research administrators

Manage Strategic Communications and Training Initiatives by (Estimated effort: 15%):

• Coordinating project leadership team planning efforts and develop strategic plans for communication and training
• Coordinating with the project leadership team and external evaluator developing a training and communication evaluation program with metrics, using analytics to measure success and continuously improve training materials and engagement strategies

Support the GRANTED Project by (Estimated effort: 5%):

• Representing the GRANTED project to external partners including other higher education institutions
• Serving as a liaison between project leadership, research administrators, and technology development teams

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on June 6, 2025.