Faculty Research Assistant: Glider & Ocean Instrumentation Technician

Department

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

• A resume/CV; and
• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

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

For additional information please contact: Kipp Shearman at [email protected] or 541-737-1866.

Job Summary

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.

Key Responsibilities

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• 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.

Working Conditions/Schedule

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 investigators on multiple projects as assigned by their supervisor.
• This is a salaried position, not an hourly position.
• Working conditions involve a mix of working at a desk in an office, standing in a laboratory, working outside. This person will need to be able to lift up to 50 lbs. and to learn how to use lifting equipment such as driving a forklift.
• Work includes up to 50 days a year at sea plus associated travel. Sea time includes day trips

up to field campaigns that last up to a month. See https://research.oregonstate.edu/osraa/rates for information about sea pay.

Salary Range

Anticipated Start Date:

2026-11-04

Anticipated End Date

2027-06-30

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at [email protected].