Assistant Research Professor, The Larson Transportation Institute
About The Position
The Larson Transportation Institute in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for an Assistant Research Professor, The Larson Transportation Institute in transportation infrastructure engineering. The successful candidate will have expertise in transportation infrastructure sensing, nondestructive evaluation, pavement and railroad infrastructure characterization, infrastructure health monitoring, and data-driven modeling using machine learning and artificial intelligence. The candidate will contribute to multidisciplinary research projects funded by NSF, USDOT, FRA, NCHRP, and state DOTs, and will assist in research coordination activities within the Rail Center for Research Enhancing Shortline Transportation (Rail CREST). The anticipated start date is June 2026.
Requirements
- Terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated research experience in transportation infrastructure sensing, pavement, and/or railroad engineering, and infrastructure health monitoring
- Experience in instrumentation, field monitoring, and nondestructive testing of infrastructure systems
- Experience with data analysis, machine learning, or artificial intelligence modeling
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams
Nice To Haves
- Embedded sensing technologies and field instrumentation
- Pavement and railroad infrastructure monitoring
- Finite element modeling and mechanistic analysis
- Machine learning and data-driven infrastructure evaluation
- Nondestructive testing (FWD, GPR, sensors, etc.)
- Experience working with state DOT or federally funded research projects
- Experience supervising students and coordinating research activities
Responsibilities
- Conduct and lead research on sensing-enabled infrastructure monitoring, pavement and rail material characterization, and AI-based modeling and evaluation.
- Assist the Principal Investigator (PI) in developing competitive research proposals and pursuing funding opportunities from federal agencies, state DOTs, and industry partners.
- Assist in managing and coordinating research activities within the Rail CREST Center, including collaboration with faculty, students, and external partners.
- Supervise and mentor graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and research staff, supporting their technical and professional development.
- Assist the PI in conducting and coordinating multi-institutional research projects funded by NSF, FRA, USDOT, NCHRP, and state DOTs.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams and industry partners to advance project objectives.
- Prepare high-quality technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations.
- Contribute to outreach, workforce development, and technology transfer activities associated with research projects and center activities.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Robust retirement plans
- 75% tuition discount for employees, eligible spouses, and children
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
5,001-10,000 employees
