Research Associate, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

11d•$80,000•Onsite

About The Position

A Research Associate position is available in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, supervised by Professor Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz. This position will include work on a variety of air quality measurement studies in the laboratory and in the field and will also include project management and mentorship opportunities and responsibilities, as described in more detail below.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or closely related discipline.
Proficiency in using advanced mass spectrometric instrumentation, including chemical ionization mass spectrometers or aerosol mass spectrometers, or closely related instrumentation
Proficiency in quantitative analyses utilizing mass spectrometric instrumentation
Proficiency in Igor Pro and mass spectrometric data analysis using this software
Ability to communicate research in writing and orally to broad audiences
Ability to obtain UT Austin driver status, which requires a Texas driver’s license (needed to conduct mobile measurements)

Nice To Haves

Postdoctoral research experience
Mentoring experience
Fieldwork experience
Demonstrated experience in statistical modeling, data analysis, and scientific programming languages (Python, Matlab, or R)
Familiar with geographical information systems like ArcGIS

Responsibilities

Ambient measurements (requires travel): Conduct ambient measurement campaigns utilizing stationary and mobile measurement platforms (requires Texas driver’s license), in collaboration with other team members and collaborators. Take a leading role in coordinating measurement plans and other project activities, including analysis of data. Total travel depends on project details; we estimate approximately 2 weeks of travel every 2-3 months.
Communication: Prepare scientific papers and reports; present scientific results to collaborators and sponsors, and at major conferences. Communicate results to non-technical audiences in industry, government, and the public.
Laboratory chamber experiments: Conduct laboratory chamber experiments in collaboration with other team members and collaborators. Take a leading role in planning experiments and analysis of data.
Project Management: Propose, plan, schedule, coordinate, complete and report the detailed phases of parts of ongoing projects in the group; devise new approaches to problems encountered. Lead and manage projects involving multiple universities and outside organizations to ensure deadlines and deliverables are completed on schedule.
Mentorship: Mentor students, post-doctoral scholars, and other personnel on projects by training them, organizing and conducting regular meetings, and tracking progress throughout the duration of the project.
Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 7.75% employer matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin Cap Metro buses with staff ID card