Postdoctoral Associate

MIT • Cambridge, MA

10d

About The Position

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE , K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center , to advance research on software, mobile apps, and hardware integration for irrigation controllers and system sizing tools designed for resource-constrained settings. The candidate will be responsible for the design, prototyping, troubleshooting, field testing, and iterative improvement of the software backend system for a mobile app that has hardware components. The aim of the research is to create a robust drip irrigation controller and app for resource-constrained farmers in the Middle East and North Africa that will optimize for maximum crop yields with minimal water and energy consumption and minimal capital costs. The candidate will regularly present research results at meetings and workshops, prepare progress reports for sponsors, and publish papers at conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. Opportunities might arise to be part of the founding team for a start-up company that spins off from the research. As a member of GEAR Center, the postdoctoral associate will be considered a Hock Tan Fellow.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in computer science or related technical or engineering field
• Experience with Python, FastAPI, Swagger or other backend development tools
• Familiarity with database technologies (Dynamo DB or Influx DB), and deployment practices including both traditional server deployment (e.g., Docker) and cloud/serverless architectures (AWS SAM, Lambda, Amplify)
• Experience with React or web and mobile application development
• Familiarity with GitHub
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and prioritize work to meet deadlines
• Ability to understand research results based on engineering theory at the master’s level

Responsibilities

• Design, prototyping, troubleshooting, field testing, and iterative improvement of the software backend system for a mobile app that has hardware components.
• Present research results at meetings and workshops.
• Prepare progress reports for sponsors.
• Publish papers at conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees