The THINK lab is looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated Postdoctoral Scholar researcher with demonstrated capability and interest in conducting big data and mobility analysis and/or infrastructure systems analysis. Though it is desirable that the candidate has the skills and interest in conducting both kinds of analyses, applications from those with an interest in primarily one of them are also welcome.

Research in big data/mobility analysis seeks to answer questions such as:

• How biases and uncertainties in big data affect the derived mobility and accessibility metrics that are often used for making transportation related decisions?
• How do travelers respond to personalized rewards?
• How to design transit related systems that can adapt to a range of external conditions?

Research in infrastructure systems analysis seeks to answer questions such as:

• Where does adaptability exist in different urban systems (e.g., land use, food systems, human behaviors and transit related systems?
• When multiple systems of different scales are coupled together, how does that promote or hinder adaptability?
• How to leverage community assets to promote resilience and adaptability at the local scale?

Applicants should have demonstrated capabilities and programming skills that are needed to answer the whole or a subset of the above questions.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Cynthia Chen (qzchen@uw.edu) to discuss their interests in this position prior to the application deadline. The preferred duration of this research position is 2-3 years, though the actual length is negotiable. 

The ideal start date is September 2024. The postdoc will be hosted in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineerin, UW , will interact primarily with members in THINK lab. The postdoc is also expected to interact with a large number of collaborators and stakeholders that THINK lab works with on a number of projects. The immediate supervisor is Professor Cynthia Chen.

The base salary range for this position will be $5,705/ month($68,460/year), or as mandated by the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.

Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website: https://hr.uw.edu/labor/about-labor-relations.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement novel models for adaptable network designs
• Design and implement peer-to-peer resource sharing and information dissemination mechanisms under disaster scenarios
• Lead or work with lab members on human mobility analysis
• Work with stakeholders and other non-UW members on the project
• Prepare high-quality manuscripts
• Disseminate research results through various means (conferences, workshops etc.)
• Lead or work with Prof. Chen on proposals
• Teach classes and mentor students if there is an opportunity
• Develop consistent and interpretable workflows for all projects to ensure reproducibility

• Ph.D. in civil engineering, mechanical, electrical and/or computer engineering, industrial systems and engineering, or a closely related field
• Interest in solving domain problems especially adaptable network designs and community resilience related work (esp peer-to-peer resource sharing and information dissemination)
• Strong programming skills (MATLAB, Python, R, or others)
• Solid background in optimization and probability and statistics
• Publications in relevant top-tier journals and conference proceedings
• Strong communication, presentation and documentation skills; and ambition to become a leader in the relevant fields (e.g., professor or senior research positions in a company or national lab)
• Interest in teaching and mentoring students

To apply, please submit an application through Interfolio ( http://apply.interfolio.com/150499)that includes the following: 

• A cover letter
• A complete curriculum vitae 
• Up-to-date university transcripts
• A brief research statement that outlines your research achievements and goals 
• Names and contacts of 3 references 
• A link to a professional webpage and/or Google scholar page (if available)

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

Benefits Information

A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.

Commitment to Diversity

The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University?s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member?s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).

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Disability Services

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

About University of Washington

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public institutions in the west coast and one of the preeminent research universities in the world. The University of Washington is a multi-campus university comprised of three different campuses: Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell. The Seattle campus is made up of sixteen schools and colleges that serve students ranging from an undergraduate level to a doctoral level. The university is home to world-class libraries, arts, music, drama, and sports, as well as the highest quality medical care in Washington State and a world-class academic medical center. The teaching and research of the University’s many professional schools provide undergraduate and graduate students the education necessary toward achieving an excellence that will serve the state, the region, and the nation. As part of a large and diverse community, the University of Washington serves more students than any other institution in the Northwest.

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