R&D Associate, Transportation Data Analytics and Decision Sciences

Requisition Id 13072 

Overview:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, with an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,200 people! ORNL’s decadal vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation. Come join us as we solve the nation's biggest challenges!

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the largest US Department of Energy (DOE) science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. Our diverse capabilities span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the Laboratory to explore fundamental science challenges and to carry out the research needed to accelerate the delivery of solutions to the marketplace.

The Transportation Analytics & Decision Sciences (TADS) group within the Buildings and Transportation Sciences Division (BTSD), Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) at ORNL is seeking a professional to fill a Research and Development Associate Staff member position. The TADS group assists the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and other federal agencies in developing solutions to national transportation problems. TADS researchers conduct spatial and statistical analyses, build applications and models, and conduct engineering and economic analyses of issues pertaining to the transportation sector. This position will primarily support a multi-disciplinary effort that heavily focuses on passenger and freight transportation systems, planning, modeling, and data analytics. Candidate selection will be based on qualifications, relevant experience, skills, and education. 

Major Duties / Responsibilities: 

If selected, you will be responsible for conducting and reporting complex technical assignments related to transportation data analytics to examine travel behaviors, evaluate freight and passenger systems, and assess energy consumption due to transportation demand. Major responsibilities include: 

• Conduct spatial and statistical analyses employing large transportation-related datasets such as the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), Freight Analysis Framework (FAF), and Census Transportation Planning Products Program (CTPP).
• Perform assessments of energy, mobility, and accessibility issues pertaining to the transportation sector.
• Address operational, technological, and system analysis subjects related to passenger and freight travel.
• Report research results in the form of technical reports, conference papers, and peer-reviewed journal papers with high-impact factors.
• Present research results to project sponsors and both technical and non-technical audiences at scientific conferences.
• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace - in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications: 

• PhD in Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with background/experience in passenger and freight transportation analysis.
• In-depth knowledge and proven working experience with public data sources for transportation and relevant fields, including NHTS and FAF.
• Strong understanding and working experience in travel behavior analysis and modeling of transportation geospatial data.
• Proficiency in the use of modeling and simulation tools, such as Python and R.
• Excellent communication skills for visualization and presentation of methodology, results, and demonstrations. 
• Demonstrable success in team-based environments and ability to independently identify and solve challenging technical problems. 
• Demonstrable commitment to ethical and professional values as well as maintaining compliance with environmental, safety, health, and quality standards. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• At least one year of professional/postdoctoral experience in an applied transportation analysis and modeling position.
• Knowledge and strong working experience in programming skills (e.g., Python) as well as advanced skills in the use of statistical software (e.g., SAS) and GIS tools (e.g., ArcGIS and QGIS), for transportation-related projects.
• Strong and proven publication record of technical reports and journal articles in travel behavior analysis.
• Experience in the development of models for freight accessibility measures and energy consumption estimation using transportation demand data.  

Some travel will be required for this position.

No clearance is required.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.