Autonomous Systems Research Specialist Job Northern Kentucky USA,Research/Development

Location: Northern

Department Center for Marine and Environmental Studies

Job Description

The Autonomous Systems Research Specialist supports the Virgin Islands Center for Autonomous Research ( VICAR ) and its integrated undersea survey system ( VICARIUS ) by maintaining the lab's robotic, computing, and data infrastructure and contributing to coral reef research conducted across CMES .

Responsibilities include:

marine robotics operations, maintenance, and field repair (30%); VICARIUS computing/ NAS administration, backup integrity, and AI-pipeline support (30%); scientific research and peer-reviewed publication contributions (20%); field research support including AAUS scientific diving and AUV missions in support of coral reef studies (10%); cross-laboratory collaboration across the broader VICAR consortium (5%); and professional development and outreach (5%).

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in marine science, robotics, computer science, engineering, or a closely related technical field from an accredited institution of higher learning.

2. At least two years of relevant experience, which may include research conducted during attainment of a higher academic degree. Relevant experience includes hands-on work with marine robotics (ROVs, AUVs) or comparable robotic and electromechanical systems;
Linux-based scientific computing environments, version control with Git, and at least one scripting language (Python preferred); field experience working from small boats and conducting marine surveys; and an active AAUS Scientific Diver certification with a documented dive history.
3. Working knowledge of marine autonomous systems and underwater imaging.

4. Linux system administration and scientific computing workflows, including environment management, GPU
-accelerated workloads, and remote/headless operation.

5. Familiarity with AI and machine-learning concepts and image-based pipelines (segmentation, classification, structure-from-motion photogrammetry).

6. Git and Git Hub version control and modular code development practices.

7. Strong troubleshooting and technical problem-solving skills across hardware and software.

8. Ability to swim and SCUBA dive as an AAUS Scientific Diver in support of marine research operations.

9. Strong technical writing skills and the ability to contribute to peer-reviewed scientific publications.

10. Ability to operate small watercraft in the conduct of marine scientific research (preferred; training available).

11. Strong organizational and documentation habits aligned with the VICARIUS data-integrity and reproducibility framework.

12. Interpersonal skills to facilitate work in office, laboratory, and field conditions, including collaboration across CMES laboratories and the broader VICAR consortium.

Preferred Qualifications Physical Demands

1. Local travel; occasional national and international travel for scientific conferences and training.

2. Ability to lift weights of up to 50 lbs, including marine robotic platforms in their transit cases.

3. Willingness to work outside of normal working hours (8:30-4:30) when conducting field research.

4. Field work in marine environments and aboard small vessels under variable weather conditions.

Posting Number

Posting Number P187

Location

Location St. Thomas

Position Type

Position Type Full Time

Number of Vacancies - part time

Number of Vacancies- part time 1

Posted Salary $55,000.00

Advertised

Job Duties

Open Date

Open Date 08/27/2026

Close Date

Close Date 09/30/2026

Internal or Externally Advertised?

Internal or Externally Advertised? External

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