The Center for the Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies (COMIT), a cooperative agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida (USF) is offering the position of Senior Researcher in the field of ocean mapping and hydrography, with a particular focus on uncrewed/autonomous systems and the use of cutting-edge techniques for data collection, processing, visualization, and product development.
The successful candidate will be expected to provide leadership in the development and direction of an independent research program that helps the Center increase mapping capability and efficiency in support of ambitious initiatives such as the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization (NOMEC) strategy in the United States and, internationally, the Seabed 2030 project. The Senior Researcher will be expected to be involved in periodic field work that may include (but does not require) multiple days at sea or being engaged remotely via telepresence to assist and advise operations related to the deployment of various ocean mapping sensors and platforms. Duties will also include contributing to COMIT’s quarterly progress reports and publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. The senior researcher will have opportunities to seek and develop strategies for additional funding sources in collaboration with other COMIT researchers.
COMIT comprises a large team of faculty researchers, engineers, information and technology experts, and other related staff working to implement the objectives of the Center. The successful candidate will enjoy considerable creative freedom in a supportive environment with many collaborators among USF, NOAA, other academics and our industry partners. There is also opportunity for mentorship and engagement in the development of educational programs in hydrography, multibeam sonar science and related disciplines.
The position is available immediately, with an initial 3-year appointment renewed annually upon satisfactory performance reviews. The appointment can be extended contingent upon funding availability. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Support for computing resources and work-related travel is also included.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Physical or Biological Sciences, Engineering, or Computer Science and 3+ years of engineering or scientific experience; OR
- Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physical or Biological Sciences and at least 1 year of engineering or scientific experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in a related marine science or engineering discipline, OR
- Substantial experience (5+ years) of research and development in commercial ocean technology or maritime systems.
Requisite Skills:
The successful candidate should demonstrate excellence in one or more of the following areas:
- Application of novel techniques to the processing and/or analysis of marine geospatial or geophysical data; ideally bathymetry, backscatter, and/or water column data. Experience with artificial intelligence and/or machine learning techniques as well as cloud computing architecture is appreciated but not required.
- Integration, testing, or development of scientific sensors (such as sonars) on oceanographic sampling platforms.
- Use and development of navigation and/or other spatial decision-making algorithms for autonomous or uncrewed vehicles.
Applicants are encouraged to list the following information in their application:
- Relevant software packages or other opensource tools (e.g., Caris, QPS, MBSystem, kluster, ArcGIS, QGIS, HydrOffice, Tensorflow, etc.), and level of facility with each (beginner, intermediate, expert)
- Programming languages used (e.g., Python, R, etc.) and level of facility with each (beginner, intermediate, expert)
- Relevant graduate level coursework completed, if applicable
- Relevant certification(s) or relevant credentials, if applicable
Job Class/Salary Plan: Engineer-Scientist II / Administrative
Hiring Salary/Salary Range: $73,000-$85,000; commensurate with experience and qualifications
