TREC Research Assistant

Position Details

Proposed

Start Date:

07/01/2026

Rank: L - Research Assistant

Working Title:

TREC Research Assistant

Position Number: D90561 Representation: AU – AAUP Faculty Type:
Fixed Term Research/Grant

Fixed Term End Date: 06/30/2027

Position FTE:
Variable between 0.5 and 1.0 FTE, starting at 1.0 FTE. Term of Service: 12 months

The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University (PSU) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. TREC hosts the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), data programs PORTAL and Bike Ped Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU’s membership in Pac Trans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. The goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand workforce diversity, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and research participation.

• Conduct literature reviews, identifying and synthesizing existing research from academic journals, government reports, websites, and other sources.
• Gather data using predetermined protocols through surveys, observation (in‑person and video), interviews, focus groups, and secondary sources.
• Perform basic qualitative and/or quantitative data analysis.
• Prepare regular status reports for funding agencies.
• Draft and edit reports and articles on research projects.
• Manage simple project websites that communicate activities and outputs.
• Assist in preparing research funding proposals.
• Assist with large in‑person TREC events, including set‑up, registration, clean‑up, and staffing information tables.
• Provide occasional remote work (up to one day) after initial training and with supervisor approval.

Master’s degree in transportation planning, policy, or engineering.

• Ability to write in a clear, direct style.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to plan and manage multiple projects to meet critical deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral) with a wide range of people and organizations.
• Collaborative and able to work as part of a team.
• Flexible and able to adjust work tasks and deadlines to meet changing priorities.
• Experience with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, Calendar;
  Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and Adobe Acrobat.
• Knowledge of key multimodal transportation concepts.
• Experience with descriptive statistics and bivariate statistical analysis (e.g., t‑tests, Chi‑square). Ability to create tables and graphs to display quantitative data.

• Experience in data collection, including survey administration, interviews, and/or focus groups, and conducting literature reviews for research.
• Experience with data analysis and visualization software such as R, SPSS, Tableau, etc.

• Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully within contexts of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Pursue opportunities to work and collaborate in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings, with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
• Adhere to all PSU policies, including those on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Contribute to a culture of environmental stewardship, practice resource conservation, and actively work toward achieving long‑term sustainability goals.

All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner that maintains a safe, respectful, and productive environment for faculty, students, administrators, and staff. Employees must adhere to PSU’s Professional Standards of Conduct, available at https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Starting annual salary at 1.0 FTE is $68,016, subject to negotiation based on experience, skills, market parity, and internal equity. The benefits package includes 95% premium‑paid health care, a generous retirement and vacation package, and reduced tuition rates for employees, spouses, or dependents at any Oregon University System schools.