Senior Research Assistant

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Proposed

Start Date:

02/02/2026

Rank: K1 - Senior Research Assistant I

Working Title:

Senior Research Assistant I

Position Number: D93203

Representation: AU - AAUP

Faculty Type:
Fixed Term Research/Grant

Fixed Term End Date: 01/31/2027

Position FTE:
Variable between .5 and 1.0, starting at 1.0

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. It hosts the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and Bike Ped Portal
, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU’s membership in Pac Trans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium
. Our 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.

The Senior Research Assistant I (SRA I) will assist in the technical management of two transportation data projects that archive diverse transportation data sources and provide access and analysis through a website to transportation professionals. The SRA I will also perform basic statistical analyses, manage and maintain our databases, and coordinate and develop data‑collection procedures.

• Database and website management (90%) – manage or maintain data feeds and databases using Postgre
  
  SQL, and support back‑end and occasional front‑end development for the PORTAL and Bike Ped Portal web interfaces.
• Other duties (10%) – troubleshoot and manage other web‑related projects as assigned by the supervisor.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree with at least two years of relevant experience.
• 2+ years of data‑engineering experience with Postgre
  
  SQL (or similar relational database) and Python.
• 2+ years of PL/SQL experience.
• Advanced understanding of working with big data (> 20 TB) and concurrent data‑source management, database tuning, indexing, partitioning, and clustering.
• Strong skills in creating complex queries and data analysis.
• Experience working with Linux, including package installation, cron scheduling, remote SSH, and service management.
• 2+ years of Django framework experience; familiarity with Apache, NGINX, uWSGI, Celery, Supervisor, PHP, Code Igniter, and RESTful APIs.
• Experience building technical documentation and strong written and communication skills.
• Excellent teamwork ethic.

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in professional settings.
• Adherence to PSU policies on prohibited discrimination, harassment, and professional standards.
• Environmental stewardship and resource‑conservation practices.

Starting annual salary: $67,200 (at 1.0 FTE). Benefits include 95% premium‑paid healthcare, a generous retirement and vacation package, and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse, or dependent at any Oregon University System school.

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter. Optional documents include a work sample or link to a Git Hub repository.

Reference letters will be requested only if you are selected for further consideration.

Submission deadline: 12/22/2025 (open until filled). Background check required. For inquiries, email askportal.