{"id":3157412,"url":"https://alion.io/job/virginia-tech-open-rank-research-faculty","title":"Open Rank - Research Faculty","company":{"id":35633,"name":"Virginia Tech","domain":"vt.edu","url":"https://alion.io/company/virginia-tech-news","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"PageUp","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":79,"open_postings":41,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.854,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":48,"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"}},"role":"Education","role_family":"Education","seniority":null,"employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Blacksburg, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":33000,"max_usd":83000,"period":"year","method":"role_country_seniority_unknown","sample_n":3356},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"SAS","optional":false},{"name":"SQL","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-10T14:45:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-31","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T18:14:56Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":113,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":113},"description":"Job Description\nThe Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) conducts research to save lives, time, and money and protect the environment. As one of six premier research institutes created by Virginia Tech to answer national challenges, VTTI is continually advancing transportation through innovation and has affected public policy on national and international levels. This position provides a hands-on opportunity to work with cutting edge vehicle and roadway lighting technologies through systematic deployment and testing. Watch this video to learn more about what it’s like to work at VTTI! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4VWviw5JA)\nVTTI seeks a qualified and ambitious researchers with a strong background in either Engineering/Psychology with Lighting or Visibility specialization and Human Factors experience or Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited degrees in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors etc. The ideal candidate is an experienced researcher capable of supporting (as a research associate) or leading research projects (as a senior research associate) and working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to improve transportation safety through cutting edge research.\nThis position independently plans, schedules, conducts, or coordinates detailed tasks as part of major transportation lighting and infrastructure safety projects. Work performed involves engineering practice but may include a variety of complex features such as conflicting design requirements, unsuitability of conventional materials, and difficult coordination requirements. The ideal candidate will contribute to research conceptualization, proposal development, and resource acquisition as well as interact with sponsors, interprets findings, prepare reports, and present results. Work will be tailored to the experience of the candidate but will primarily focus on transportation safety projects that include lighting, visibility, signaling, signage, traffic safety, accident databases, safety modeling (including safety performance functions and crash mitigation factors), roadway design, intersection and pedestrian safety, traffic control/operation devices, driver behavior, traffic theory and human factors. Work requires a broad knowledge of precedents in the specialty area and a good knowledge of and practices of related specialties.\nPosition is open rank for either at the rank of Research Associate or Senior Research, and offer of rank will be determined based on the successful candidate's commensurate experience.\nResearch Associate Rank Duties and Responsibilities:\nAssist in the development of proposals and research plans\nResearch and assist in the compositions of literature reviews.\nHelp organize, attend, and participate in project meetings\nAssist with the conceptualization and creation of work plans, protocols, and procedures.\nCoordinate and collaborate with subcontractors and interface with stakeholders and sponsors as required\nAnalyze data including preparing SAS, Matlab, ArcGIS and SQL analyses\nInterpret results and develop robust conclusions\nDirections given and received:\nWork with peers, research assistants, undergrad students, technicians and support staff to coordinate project tasks.\nMust be able to work effectively independently with oversight as well as within multidisciplinary project teams as appropriate.\nSenior Research Associate Rank Duties and responsibilities:\nAct as Principal Investigator on funded research projects\nLead the development of proposals, research plans, and composition of literature reviews.\nWrite, review, and critique proposals, research plans, and final reports\nOrganize, attend, and participate in project meetings\nConceptualize and write work plans\nManage project activities and execution of research plan\nRespond to requests for proposal and obtain funding with the goal of providing sustainable support for themselves and other researchers\nMaintain existing sponsor relationships, develop new relationships with potential sponsors, and solicit research funding\nAnalyze data including preparing SAS, Matlab, ArcGIS and SQL analyses\nPresent research findings\nCollaborate and participate in Industry conferences, seminars and committees\nCollaborate on research studies as needed\nPresent and publish research findings\nDirections given and received:\nIndependently perform most assignments with instructions as to the general results expected\nReceive technical guidance on unusual or complex problems and supervisory approval on proposed plans for projects\nSupervise students, junior researchers and waged employees as needed\nRequired Qualifications\nResearch Associate rank will require a master’s degree in master’s degree in Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited to degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors, etc.\nSenior Research Associate rank will require a PhD in Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited degrees in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors etc. (candidates with an advanced degree and significant experience in lieu of PhD may be considered).\nGeneral:\nExcellent communications and organizational skills\nStrong experience in transportation safety related research or lighting and visibility research\nAbility to lead project teams and oversee project schedule, budgets, and deliverables\nDemonstrated strong writing and organizational skills\nSolid understanding of engineering principles needed to analyze, verify, and interpret work\nStrong GIS based Data Analysis experience.\nStrong statistical methods including experience in the analysis of large-scale data sets from multiple sources using a variety of tools including but not limited to SAS, MatLab, ArcGIS, SQL Server\nPreferred Qualifications\nKnowledge on transportation safety tools such as the highway safety manual, the manual on traffic control devices, Illuminating Engineering Recommended Practices, crash modification factors, safety performance functions, and strategic safety plans is extremely desirable.\nPrevious project management experience including coordinate technicians, researchers, undergraduate and graduate level students\nOvertime Status\nExempt: Not eligible for overtime\nAppointment Type\nRestricted\nSalary Information\nResearch Associate rank starting at $70,000, Senior Research Associate rank starting at $95,000; commensurate with experience\nHours per week\n40\nReview Date\n7/22/2026\nAdditional Information\nThe successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.\nAbout Virginia Tech\nDedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes.A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.\nVirginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.\nVirginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.\nIf you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Natalie Jett at  during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the 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