Career Center

General Description

GIS PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

Goals and Approach:

Postdoctoral Research Economist or Social Scientist:

The Community Resilience Program (CRP) of the National Institute of Standards of Technology
(NIST) anticipates the need for a GIS Specialist to work on community resilience and sustainability.

The position would be supported through the NIST Professional Research Experience Program
(https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/nist-professional-research-experience-program-prep)

This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside NIST researchers while being associated with a NIST PREP participating academic institution.

This role requires a researcher who:

Leads complex geospatial research for Community Resilience Planning and Disaster and Failure Studies, focusing on community resilience to natural, human-caused, and technological hazards, as well as socio-economic and physical community systems. Directs the development of geospatial metrology, models, tools, guidance, and standards for community resilience and associated decision-making. Engages with internal and external partners to establish best practices for data collection in multi-disciplinary post-disaster field studies, utilizing current technologies and tools to advance disaster research metrology. Provides subject matter expertise and strategic direction on resilience-related socio-economic and physical systems science, employing advanced Geographic Information System analysis, diverse quantitative and qualitative methods, data collection instruments, and interdisciplinary methodologies for community resilience measurement and modeling. Offers geospatial expertise and guidance, and actively participates in disaster field studies, technical investigations, and disaster reconnaissance.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Research
• Publishing within refereed journals and technical research series
• Developing draft standards
• Crafting decision-support software
• Communicating research at professional conferences

Additional responsibilities may cover:

• Analysis of survey data
• Complex event analysis using spatial data
• Evaluating community level planning for climate and resilience
• Incorporating risk and uncertainty into community resilience planning assessments
• Survey design and approval processes

The PREP researcher will use of a broad set of skills, including, but not limited to: survey tool development, sample frame development, statistical inference, systems analysis/ modeling, collaborative/participatory modeling, qualitative interview analysis, quantitative structural equation modeling and regression analysis, as well as agent-based modeling.  Key outcomes will be analyses, reports, and best practice guidance to businesses, industry, standard making bodies, and government.

It is expected that the PREP Researcher will engage in all steps of the research process, including but not limited to: survey (re)design and dissemination, data analysis, preparation of reports and archival journal articles, as well as reporting and communication with stakeholders. 

The work will entail: 

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Collaborate on data and methods to improve the methodology for measuring economic impact of community resilience planning, which is organized around the performance metric of 'cost plus loss' minimization - i.e., the economically optimal level of investment in prevention and mitigation activities to reduce future disturbance and disaster-related losses, as well as related expenditures that minimize the combined investment cost plus the value of expected losses. 
• Development of decision frameworks for community level choices
• Design and execution of data collection instruments
• Statistical analysis of collected survey data
• Assessment of research and data gaps
• Developing decision-support tools for home residents, homeowners, communities, business operators, industry, and/or government agencies to make more efficient, sustainable, resilient, and/or circular choices.

Qualifications

§  An advanced degree in GIS Research Sociology, Computer Science, Engineering, Economics, Social Science, Planning, Behavioral Social Sciences, or a related field.

§  Familiarity with multiple scripting languages.

§  Strong oral and written communication skills.

§  (1) Advanced knowledge of policies, theories, principles, practices, and methods of a technical professional field of research (in science, engineering, information technology, or mathematics) and the ability, as a significant contributor to the specialty, to conduct and direct an advanced research program, exercise professional leadership, and provide consultation in the specialty. Skill in applying highly valued expertise in a recognized leading-edge research field. Ability to justify, defend, negotiate, or settle matters involving significant or controversial issues and/or programs. OR (2) Ability to perform the full range of supervisory functions, including planning, assigning, and reviewing work, and evaluating performance. Advanced knowledge of the programs directed and the ability to influence, motivate, or persuade persons or groups or take actions related to advancing the program/organization fundamental goals and objectives, including program planning, managing resources, assigning and reviewing work, and evaluating performance.

Candidates can reach out to Dr. Jennifer Helgeson at Jennifer.helgeson@nist.gov if interested. Please provide an up-to-date CV or resume. NIST is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer.

Application Instructions

Please upload the following with your application:

-         CV/Resume

-         2 professional references

*Please limit C.V to 3 pages only

Privacy Act Statement

Authority:  15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose:  The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the  Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor's degree holders, graduate students, master's degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.  

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses:  NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices:  NIST-1: NIST Associates. 

Disclosure:  Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

About Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University remains committed to its founding principle, that education for all students should be grounded in exploration and discovery. Hopkins students are challenged not just to learn but also to advance learning itself. Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship are all encouraged and nourished in this unique educational environment. After more than 130 years, Johns Hopkins remains a world leader in both teaching and research. Faculty members and their research colleagues at the university's Applied Physics Laboratory have each year since 1979 won Johns Hopkins more federal research and development funding than any other university. The university has nine academic divisions and campuses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education and the Carey Business School are based at the Homewood campus in northern Baltimore. The schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing share a campus in east Baltimore with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Peabody Institute, a leading professional school of music, is located on Mount Vernon Place in downtown Bal...timore. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is located in Washington's Dupont Circle area.

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