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

Application Instructions

Current Penn State employees or students should apply through Workday. External applicants should click “Apply” and complete the standard application process.

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 through the CRISI program, focused on developing affordable technologies and safety innovations for the short‑line railroad industry.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. The appointment is expected to be a 12‑month term, renewable based on performance and funding availability.

• 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 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.

Please submit a Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references to Penn State’s Human Resources website at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees designed to support both personal and professional well‑being. For details, please visit the Benefits Page or the Postdoctoral Benefits page.

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