Research job opportunities

Position overview

The Center for Secure and Dependable Systems at the University of Idaho is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to participate in the National Science Foundation EPSCoR funded Idaho Community-Engaged Resilience for Energy-Water Systems (I-CREWS) project.

The position will predominately work with the I-CREWS modeling and characterize teams to collate, assess and generate physical models and integrate measurement data to produce datasets in support of the ICREWS project. These datasets will include physical and social science datasets related to energy and water resilience to stressors at regional and local scales. This individual will also work with the I-CREWS alternative futures team to generate data for use assessing energy-water resilience in future scenarios. The individual will collaboratively work with the modeling, alternative futures team and Energy Water Data Hub, as well as other I-CREWS project personnel. This individual will also work collaboratively to support workforce development goals in the I-CREWS project through the development of instructional materials for audiences such as students, other project team members and the public.

Job duties

Research (estimated effort: 70%):

• The position will predominately work with the project I-CREWS modeling and characterize teams develop energy-water system datasets generated through a combination of physical models and historical measurement of energy and water systems in that and region. These datasets will also include physical and social science datasets related to energy and water resilience to stressors at regional and local scales. This individual will also work with the I-CREWS alternative futures team to generate data for use in low-fidelity virtual reality environments.

Workforce development (estimated effort: 25%):

• This position will develop online training materials on how to access, analyze and use spatial datasets to describe energy and water systems. These modules would be integrated within courses offered by the University of Idaho Certificate in Environmental Education and Science Communication and the online Masters in Geographic Information Science, as well as courses broadly offered by I-CREWS partner institutions.

Instruction (estimated effort: 5%):

• Assist in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students conducting research related to interactions between energy and water systems, especially characterizing and modeling energy-water systems and assessing datasets for machine learning applications.

Requirements

Education

• Ph.D. in electrical engineering or related field with a power emphasis with a strong focus on energy-water modeling

Experience

• Experience in using power system modeling and simulation tools

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in publishing in peer-reviewed literature
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills
• Experience in communication to scientific audiences
• Experience in risk and resilience research related to energy or water systems
• Interest in developing instructional summary materials for audiences such as students, other project team members and the public
• Interest in working in a large collaborative team
• Proficient in both written and spoken English

Physical requirements

• None

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the letter of qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on April 29, 2025.

Position overview

Join the University of Idaho’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences (IIDS) and play a key role in a campus-wide transformation. As IIDS senior project manager, you will manage an vast portfolio of projects, with a significant focus on the execution of our new generative AI initiative. You will help deliver high-visibility projects that create measurable operational efficiencies and enhance research capabilities at the state’s only R1 classified research university. We are seeking a strong facilitator who can work with stakeholders, leadership and technical experts to drive technical projects from ideation to impact and help build a self-sustaining program for the future.

Job duties

Provides project and portfolio management by (estimated effort: 50%):

• Managing the full project lifecycle for critical IIDS projects, from initial conception and requirements gathering through execution, deployment and post-launch support
• Overseeing project timelines and resources, tracking project budgets and reporting on financial status to IIDS leadership
• Working with non-technical stakeholders to uncover needs, map complex business processes and translate business needs into clear technical requirements
• Proactively identifying project risks—including technical, resource, timeline and adoption challenges—and developing and implementing effective mitigation strategies

Ensures effective performance measurement and strategic reporting by (estimated effort: 25%):

• Using software, dashboards and other data science tools to track and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Translating project activities into clear, compelling Return on Investment (ROI) reports for stakeholders and university leadership
• Quantifying project success by tracking metrics such as efficiency gains, cost savings from labor hours, user adoption rates and grant activity that leverages IIDS resources
• Managing a pipeline of competing project ideas by applying a formal and transparent
  prioritization framework to help leadership make informed, data-driven decisions
• Preparing and presenting comprehensive reports to IIDS and university leadership

Facilitates stakeholder engagement and change management by (estimated effort: 15%):

• Bridging the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders by clearly conveying complex technical concepts with various levels of technical understanding
• Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with stakeholders, including faculty, staff and administrative leaders from key university divisions
• Leading change management efforts by guiding end-users through the process of adopting new technologies and workflows
• Developing and providing user training, documentation and support for all launched applications and implementing a feedback loop for continuous improvement
• Maintaining a regular rhythm of communication through newsletters, demos and website updates to keep the university community informed and engaged

Contributes to organizational success and professional growth by (estimated effort: 10%):

• Ensuring all projects adhere to a clear set of ethical principles for fairness, transparency, data privacy and cybersecurity
• Contributing to team efforts by completing other duties as assigned
• Participating in professional development activities to stay current on project management and technology best practices

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants began on August 10, 2025.

Position overview

This position will work on the NSF-funded project "Crossing the Innovation Valley of Death: Democratizing Data and Artificial Intelligence for Research Administration." They will collaborate with research administrators and technology developers to build stakeholder relationships and create communication strategies and training programs. This role is central to building a community of practice through instructional design and strategic engagement while supporting the faculty, staff and students contributing to the project. The role combines expertise in adult learning with a passion for collaborative networks that drive innovation and knowledge sharing across institutions, bridging research administration with emerging technologies.

This position supports the planning and completion of educational, outreach or professional programs; working with program staff, students, the public and/or agencies, to plan and oversee program activities. May lead a distinct area for the program such as outreach, assessment or financial management.

Duties may include:

• Participate in the development and implementation of program deliverables, services, and activities
• Coordinate a team with a variety array of talents and responsibilities
• Collect, compile, and summarize program data for reports
• Participate in developing program operating goals, objectives and protocols
• Maintain program budgets, monitoring and reviewing transactions for compliance with program requirements
• Active participation in the development and submission of program proposals
• Lead collection and compilation of program assessment data
• May supervise the work of others or lead a team to accomplish assigned goals
• Other duties as assigned

Job duties

Lead community engagement and communications by: (estimated effort: 40%):

• Developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies for various audiences including research administrators, data scientists and technology developers
• Creating and maintaining a community of practice portal with resources, discussion forums and collaborative tools
• Facilitating community engagement events including workshops, webinars and learning circles to strengthen connections and present content

Develop and coordinate research administrator training program by (estimated effort: 40%):

• Leading a team in the creation of interactive training modules that accommodate different learning styles and technical proficiencies
• Designing and coordinating training programs and educational materials using adult learning principles and evidence-based methodologies
• Conducting needs assessments to identify knowledge gaps and develop targeted training interventions for research administrators

Manage strategic communications and training initiatives by (estimated effort: 15%):

• Coordinating project leadership team planning efforts and develop strategic plans for communication and training
• Coordinating with the project leadership team and external evaluator developing a training and communication evaluation program with metrics, using analytics to measure success and continuously improve training materials and engagement strategies

Support the GRANTED project by (estimated effort: 5%):

• Representing the GRANTED project to external partners including other higher education institutions
• Serving as a liaison between project leadership, research administrators, and technology development teams

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on June 6, 2025.

Position overview

Serves as the laboratory coordinator/manager for the Aquaculture Research Institute’s Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station (HFCES) analytical laboratories, reporting to the ARI Director and coordinating with university faculty and agency and external partners in a shared laboratory setting. A large component of this position involves the management of a nutrition service center, providing nutritional analysis of fish feeds, feed ingredients and tissues, as well as other types of samples for customers both internal and external to the University of Idaho. The remainder of this position provides functional supervision of day-to-day activities of the laboratory research enterprise as described in the position overview and assigned duties.

Job duties

Analytical support by (estimated effort: 60%):

• Providing day-to-day supervision of scientific/technical staff and management of the ARI Nutrition Service Center
• Purchasing, maintaining and repairing laboratory equipment according to a manufacturer specified preventive maintenance schedules
• Assisting with sample collection and keeping detailed and precise records of studies and analyses
• Coordinating laboratory analyses and providing technical support to students, scientists and staff
• Independently collecting, analyzing and interpreting data relevant to each project
• Participating in working groups associated with each project
• Development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and keeping up-to-date research notebooks and computer files of those protocols

Oversee laboratory and facility safety and compliance by (estimated effort: 20%):

• Performing regular laboratory/building safety and compliance inspections, taking corrective actions when necessary
• Developing, preparing and conducting safety training for facility staff and visiting researchers
• Instructing and monitoring students and visiting scientists in laboratory safely, methodology and procedures
• Maintaining laboratory supplies and chemical inventory and managing chemical disposal in accordance with pertinent regulations and general laboratory safe practices

Present research results by (estimated effort: 5%):

• Compiling and reporting findings by preparing figures and tables that summarize data and results
• Presenting in working groups

Collaborative activities such as (Estimated effort: 5%):

• Providing technical consulting services to University of Idaho, public and private sector entities
• Assisting with educational outreach activities and providing support for Idaho’s commercial, conservation, and recreational aquaculture industries

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on August 8, 2025.

Position overview

The Office of Research and Economic Development is seeking a lead grant administrator to help launch a new shared services research administration team. Reporting directly to the research division business officer, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape scalable systems that support faculty and advance the university’s research mission.

Job duties

Provide team leadership and operational oversight by (estimated effort: 40%):

• Coordinating and managing the daily operations of a cross-functional Shared Services team, ensuring balanced workload distribution and timely task completion
• Serving as the internal point of coordination for pre- and post-award activities, ensuring seamless transitions and handoffs between team members
• Monitoring service delivery metrics and internal performance indicators to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies or training needs
• Leading regular internal team meetings to review priorities, share updates and reinforce best practices
• Supporting the business officer in implementing strategic initiatives and operational improvements aligned with the shared services model

Oversee grant administration by (estimated effort: 30%):

• Providing comprehensive, full-service support across the entire grant lifecycle, including both pre-award and post-award functions
• Overseeing pre-award responsibilities include budget development, proposal preparation, internal routing, and ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements
• Overseeing post-award responsibilities include award setup, subaward initiation, financial tracking, budget revisions, effort reporting, and closeout coordination
• Ensuring accurate and timely data entry in institutional systems and maintain thorough documentation for audit readiness
• Serving as an internal resource for interpreting sponsor guidelines and resolving complex grant-related issues

Process development, documentation and training by (estimated effort: 20%):

• Developing, maintaining and continuously improving standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all aspects of grant administration within the team
• Coordinating onboarding and cross-training of team members to ensure redundancy and service continuity
• Maintaining a shared knowledge base of sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and procedural updates
• Identifying internal training needs and recommend professional development opportunities to enhance team capabilities

Provide compliance monitoring and internal reporting by (estimated effort: 5%):

• Monitoring internal compliance with federal, sponsor and institutional policies, including Uniform Guidance, F&A policies and cost principles
• Conducting periodic internal reviews of proposal and award files to ensure documentation completeness and policy adherence
• Compiling and analyzing internal service metrics (e.g., turnaround times, task volumes, error rates) to support reporting to leadership
• Assisting in preparing internal reports and summaries for leadership review and continuous improvement planning

Contribute to team effort by (estimated effort: 20%):

• Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with team members, supervisors, central university departments and other members of the university
• Striving to efficiently, timely and consistently meet the workplace objectives in support of the university research mission by demonstrating accuracy and thoroughness, self-monitoring, and implementation of performance feedback
• Attending conferences and/or training to improve technical and professional development
• Attending university FIG, DGA, and EPAF user group meetings, bootcamps and working groups as assigned
• Leading and/or participating in unit projects and initiatives as assigned

Additional information

• Apply through the University of Idaho Careers page.
• In your application, please address all the minimum requirements in the Letter of Qualification. Preferential review of applicants to begin on August 8, 2025.