Faculty Research Assistant: Glider & Ocean Instrumentation Technician

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For additional information please contact:
Kipp Shearman arman or .

The College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences invites applications for two full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Faculty Research Assistant:
Glider & Ocean Instrumentation Technician positions. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Dean.

The FRA will split time across projects that include:

• testing and installation of oceanographic sensors (e.g., temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, broadband acoustics) on research platforms
• assembly and testing of oceanographic research platforms (e.g., autonomous underwater gliders, moorings, over-the-side profiling instruments)
• ground transportation of research equipment
• at-sea deployment and recovery of oceanographic research platforms
• refurbishment of oceanographic research components
• data processing, quality control, and dissemination
• computer system administration (e.g., software upgrades, maintenance)

Oregon State University (OSU) conducts oceanographic research and monitoring off the Pacific Northwest and globally. This research involves a variety of sensors and platforms, including autonomous underwater vehicles, ship-based profiling, and moorings. The OSU Glider Research Group conducts studies funded by a variety of federal agencies, the state of Oregon, industry, and private foundations. OSU is a partner on a large-scale multi-year federally funded project called the National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and operates OOI's Coastal Endurance Array off the coast of Oregon and Washington.

Ocean measurements from these programs are made available in near real time to national data centers and other ocean users.

This Faculty Research Assistant will collaborate with a team of researchers, oceanographers and technicians to assemble, deploy, recover, and refurbish platforms and instruments used for oceanographic research and monitoring. Working with this same team, the FRA will be responsible for data processing, data quality assurance and quality control, computer systems administration, and delivery of documented data to national oceanographic data centers and other ocean users.

• Bachelor's degree in oceanography, marine science, natural science, engineering, computer science or related field.
• Experience in Windows or LINUX/UNIX environments.
• Experience with high-level scientific data analysis (e.g., Python, Matlab).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment with diverse groups of researchers, staff, and students.
• Hands-on troubleshooting and problems resolution experience.
• Demonstrated written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to work at sea.
• Ability to travel for extended periods.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

• Experience and aptitude with electrical and mechanical systems.
• Master's degree in science, engineering, earth system sciences, physical oceanography, or related field.
• Experience with, and knowledge of, the principles of and operation of oceanographic sensors.
• At least two years’ experience preparing, deploying, recovering, and maintaining oceanographic research instrumentation.
• Experience preparing, deploying, recovering, and maintaining underwater gliders.
• Certificate in ocean observing systems or similar field.
• Boat skills from experience on research, commercial, or recreational vessels.
• Experience with command line interfaces and Linux systems administration concepts.

Most work will be done in a laboratory in Corvallis.

• This person will have a supervisor, who will apportion their time. This person will work for multiple…