Post-Doc Rail Center Research Enhancing Short-line Transportation; Rail CREST

Position Overview

The Rail Center for Research Enhancing Short‑line Transportation (Rail CREST) at Penn State Altoona invites applications for a Research Scientist/Post‑Doc position. Rail CREST is a federally funded research center supported by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) through the CRISI program. The center focuses on developing affordable technologies, workforce development programs, and safety innovations for the U.S. short‑line railroad industry.

The Research Scientist will play a key leadership role in supporting the strategic growth and daily operation of Rail CREST, working closely with the Center Director, partner universities, industry partners, and federal stakeholders. The successful candidate will help coordinate research activities across multiple institutions while contributing technically to projects focused on rail infrastructure monitoring, sensing technologies, data analytics, and intelligent transportation systems.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.

• Support the strategic planning and daily operation of the Rail CREST Center.
• Coordinate research activities across multiple partner universities and industry collaborators.
• Assist with the development of new research proposals and technology transfer initiatives.
• Lead and contribute to research projects related to rail infrastructure sensing, structural health monitoring, instrumentation systems, data analytics, and artificial intelligence applications in rail transportation.
• Manage or oversee field deployments, laboratory testing, and instrumentation development.
• Assist with industry‑facing testing, demonstrations, and commercialization activities related to rail technologies.
• Supervise research staff, graduate students, and project teams.

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Railroad Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research expertise in rail infrastructure, structural health monitoring, sensing systems, instrumentation, or transportation infrastructure analytics.
• Experience working with data‑driven technologies such as sensor networks, machine learning, or AI‑enabled infrastructure monitoring.
• Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to coordinate multi‑institutional research projects.
• Ability to work effectively with industry partners, government agencies, and academic collaborators.

• Experience with railroad infrastructure systems including track, bridges, or railway operations.
• Experience deploying or managing field instrumentation systems or sensing networks.
• Experience working with federally funded research programs (e.g., FRA, USDOT, NSF).
• Interest in technology transfer and industry collaboration.

This is a Research Scientist/Post‑Doc position. The appointment is expected to be 12 months, renewable based on performance and funding availability.

Please submit the following documents:
Curriculum Vitae, cover letter describing relevant experience and interest in the position, and contact information for three professional references.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background checks in accordance with University policies.

Penn State is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814‑865‑1473.