Research Scientist/Engineer 2

University of Washington Medical Center•Seattle, WA

22h•$81,600 - $96,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Civil and Environmental Engineering department has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist/Engineer 2 - Temp to join their team. Reporting to the Research/Scientist Engineer 3, this position will hold the title of Research Scientist within the NHERI Rapid Facility. The selected candidate will join the RAPID technical staff supporting researchers in deploying tools related to collecting perishable data to support environmental and public health research.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, environmental chemistry, environmental health, public health, industrial hygiene, chemistry, chemical engineering, earth science, biology, geography, GIS, natural resources, or a related field and two years of experience in a technical laboratory or field research environment.
Willingness and ability to travel frequently, including extended domestic and international field deployments, often on short notice.
Willingness to obtain and maintain FAA Part 107 UAV pilot’s license within six months of hire.
Strong aptitude for learning and operating analytical instruments, especially spectrometry-based tools (GC/MS, XRF, hyperspectral imaging).
Demonstrated ability to independently complete technical work and follow through on deliverables.
Experience developing workflows, SOPs, or other technical documentation.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Effective technical communication and training ability.
Ability to take partially defined problems and develop structured, actionable solutions.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with spectrometry techniques (GC/MS, XRF, or optical spectroscopy).
Experience with public health sample collection and monitoring equipment.
Knowledge of biological and chemical hazards and handling safety.
Experience with GIS for environmental and public health data.
Prior experience in natural hazards reconnaissance and fieldwork safety protocols.

Responsibilities

Independently move assigned projects forward from scoping through implementation, and clearly communicate progress, blockers, and support needs.
In coordination with the Operations Manager and other Research Scientists, act as a point of contact for facility users to initiate projects, determine scope and resource needs, and carry to completion.
Assist other Research Scientists with communicating with external users interested in using Rapid Facility resources, focusing on users interested in collecting environmental and public health data.
Assist other Research Scientists coordinating external NSF and NIH-funded PI’s projects; determine scope and resource needs, assist users in the development of proposals and research questions, refine field methods, scheduling, and logistics.
Establish logistical and field protocols to ensure safe and timely deployment of facility personnel and resources.
Arrange personnel travel logistics for RAPID deployments as needed.
Coordinate equipment shipping, asset tracking, and retrieval for RAPID deployments as needed.
Deploy with users during field data collection to provide assistance or take the lead as needed.
Lead perishable data collection efforts or assist with equipment use in collaboration with external research teams during field deployments after natural hazard events.
Assist with the acquisition, commissioning and maintenance of RAPID equipment to support environmental and public health data collection following natural hazards.
Develop clear, step-by-step operational workflows and documentation so RAPID staff and facility users can effectively operate the equipment.
Integrate new equipment seamlessly into the Facility's existing inventory.
Assist with the preparation of newly acquired facility spaces for the NIH expansion.
Ensure compliance with relevant industry standards, protocols, and regulatory requirements.
Assist facility staff with data management, focused on environmental and public health data, including archiving data to DesignSafe consistent with the RAPID Facility’s Data Management Plan.
Process and analyze data from RAPID deployments as needed, with a focus on environmental and public health data.
Maintain an operational knowledge of RAPID data and post-processing software.
Gain proficiency on newly acquired RAPID equipment in collaboration with expert data collection practitioners and equipment manufacturers.
Assist with quality assurance measures for data collection processes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Maintain appropriate qualifications and credentials (e.g., FAA Part-107 UAV Pilots license, HAZWOPER 40, Respirator training).
Remain knowledgeable of emerging technologies and methodologies in data collection and public health research, and integrate them into operations where appropriate.
Share equipment, software, and computing maintenance and troubleshooting with other RAPID personnel.
Contribute equally (with other RAPID staff) to the upkeep, organization, and professional presentation of RAPID facility laboratory spaces in More Hall (More Hall 016, 016a, 020, 319), HQ (116), and any newly acquired spaces.
Generate reports summarizing data collection activities, findings, and recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.
Maintain accurate and organized documentation of equipment inventory, maintenance logs, and other relevant records.
Help coordinate RAPID Facility outreach efforts related to environmental and public health data with the Exposures and Health Team Lead.
Represent the RAPID Facility at international professional and academic conferences.
Develop user training workshop curriculum focused on environmental and public health data collection.
Collaborate with the leadership team on developing modules for all RAPID workshops focused on environmental and public health data.
Develop user training media focused on environmental and public health data collection and participate in other media development as needed.
Generate tutorials on RAPID equipment, software, and data analysis for facility users.
Instruct other RAPID personnel on the new environmental and public health equipment.
Receive training from other RAPID personnel on natural hazards field reconnaissance, including field safety, logistics, and geospatial data collection.