College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
Oregon State University
104 CEOAS Administration Building  Corvallis, Oregon 97331-5503
Tel: (541) 737-3504  Fax: (541) 737-2064  ceoas.oregonstate.edu
Faculty Research Assistant
Position Announcement #0010797
The College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS) invites applications for a fulltime (1.0 FTE), 12-month, fixed term Faculty Research Assistant position. Reappointment is at
the discretion of the Dean.
The College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences is internationally recognized as a leader in
the study of the Earth as an integrated system. It operates numerous state-of-the art laboratories and
two oceanographic research vessels, the 177-foot ocean-going Oceanus and the Elakha, a 54-foot
coastal research vessel. The College has an annual budget of more than $50 million, with much of the
research support coming from the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other federal agencies. It has
approximately 104 faculty, 220 graduate students and 613 undergraduate students.
This full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Faculty Research Assistant position serves as a
member of the Marine Technician group primarily supporting the research portion of the University
mission, performing sponsored research on the Research Vessel (R/V) Oceanus, the College of Earth,
Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences' 175 foot research vessel, and the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Vessels
(USCGC Healy, USCGC Polar Star), conducting research on shore and at sea. This position requires
multiple skills and flexibility with the ability to work and make decisions independently.
The primary responsibility of the position is to ensure that the data collected from the shared use
equipment pool of the R/V Oceanus and the USCGC Healy, is of the highest quality, has received
proper quality control, and is disseminated to the Principal Investigators (PIs) for use in peerreviewed publications and presentations. Contributions to the accurate collection of data are essential.
Responsibilities:
Marine Instrumentation Engineer: Provides for high-level electromechanical expertise and support to
researchers from OSU, other United States (US) Institutions, US Government and International
scientists. Routine procedures and guidelines do not exist for all situations which might arise. Time at
sea is completely unsupervised.
15% Pre-cruise Duties:
Primary point-of-contact for scientists planning research cruises: contacts Chief Scientists in advance
of research cruise to determine requirements, discusses operations, and ascertains the needs of the
program.
Organizes services and equipment available on research vessel or within the Ship Operations Facility.
Coordinates information flow between scientific party members and appropriate Ship Operations and
Marine Technician Group personnel. At times, collects Health History Forms from cruise personnel
for the Office Manager, Captain, or Chief Mate.
Coordinates research cruise scientific logistics and loading, and interfaces these tasks with ship
requirements (e.g. loading sequencing, scientific loading vs. ship service needs, etc.).
50% At-Sea Duties:
Acts as liaison between ship crew and facility and embarked scientific party.
Ensures scientific operations, both in labs and over-the-side, are conducted in a safe manner.
As an independent sea going technician, ensures the proper quality and format of data to be
incorporated into published works by scientists. Data collected is used in professional publications
and information disseminated to the public regarding ocean health and other topics.
Monitors performance of installed computing facilities to ensure proper operation including
underway data collection systems, Acoustic Doppler current profilers, email and web servers,
Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) data acquisition systems, echosounders and all shared
use scientific equipment.
Monitors performance, maintains and repairs, and instructs scientific party members in the use of
permanently-installed and transient shared-use equipment including: CTD profilers and related overthe side equipment, water collection systems, echosounders, underway data collection systems,
communications systems, and water purification systems. Transient equipment includes seafloor
sampling systems, Multiple Opening Closing Net Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS),
ultra-low temperature freezers, pingers, salinometers, benchtop fluorometers and other equipment
available for use on research vessels, but not permanently installed.
Assists with scientific operations as other duties allow.
10% Post Cruise Duties:
Gathers data from all shared use equipment sources upon arrival and archives for distribution to
scientists. Fulfills post cruise obligation of data dissemination to scientists and national data archives.
Completes post cruise assessments.
Coordinates offloading of scientific and transient shared-use equipment. Assists with shipment of
equipment as necessary. Ensures proper storage for offloaded shared-use equipment.
Performs any required post-cruise calibrations, repairs or maintenance.
25% Other Duties:
Designs and constructs modifications to existing electrical, electronic and mechanical systems to
meet changing needs.
Ensures regular traceable calibration of the scientific sensors and data acquisition system installed on
the vessel; responsible for oversight of the operation of the data acquisition system and improvements
to the system. Manages Inventory of seagoing equipment including spares and supplies.
Troubleshoots and repairs electronic and mechanical systems.
Performs independent projects and design efforts.
Represents OSU, CEOAS, and the Marine Technician Group at conferences and training. Provides
research instrumentation expertise for individual scientists as required.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) in: Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical
Engineering: Marine Science; Atmospheric Science; Oceanography; or related field.
Experience with electronic sensors for oceanographic and meteorological or other physical
parameters.
Experience in programming, telemetry protocols, communications, networking, and real-time data
acquisition applications in a Windows environment.
Experience with Linux/UNIX and Windows operating systems.
Experience and aptitude with mechanical systems and tools.
Seagoing experience.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
Demonstrated ability to deal with diverse groups of scientists and crew on-board ship.
Willingness and ability to spend up to 100 days per year at sea and must not be incapacitated by
seasickness.
Ability to lift/carry/push/pull moderately heavy equipment; up to 50 lbs.
Position requires work aloft and in confined spaces and to work outdoors in inclement environments.
Must possess a valid passport.
Ability to obtain CPR/AED/First Aid certificate within three months of hire date.
Ability to obtain OR-OSHA forklift operators permit within three months of hire date.
Ability to obtain Transportation Workers Identification (TWIC) Card within three months of hire
date.
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
OAR 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in Youth
Programs may have additional Criminal History Checks every 24 months. Offers of employment are
contingent upon meeting all minimum qualifications including the Criminal History Check
Requirement.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in a research environment.
Experience with common marine electronic systems.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) training and experience for electrical and mechanical design.
Salary is commensurate with education and experience.
To Apply:
To access application instructions, go to jobs.oregonstate.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=61418, posting
0010797. For the position announcement, go to http://www.ceoas.oregonstate.edu/
When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:
1) A resume/CV that includes the names of at least three professional references,
their e-mail
addresses and telephone contact numbers (Upload as 'Other Document' if not included with
your resume/vitae).
2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this
position.
For additional information please contact:
Dave O'Gorman, dave@coas.oregonstate.edu (541) 737-1504.
Closing Date: for full consideration apply by June 30, 2013. Applications must be received by
July 14, 2013.
University and Community:
OSU is one of only two American universities to hold the Land-, Sea-, Sun- and Space-Grant designations
and is the only Oregon institution recognized for its “very high research activity” (RU/VH) by the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university is comprised of 11 academic colleges with
strengths in natural resources, Earth dynamics and sustainability, life sciences, entrepreneurship and the
arts and sciences. OSU has facilities and/or programs in every county in the state, including 12 regional
experiment stations, 41 county extension offices, a branch campus in Bend, a major marine science center
in Newport and a range of programs and facilities in Portland. It is Oregon’s largest public research
university, conducting more than 60 percent of the research funded throughout the state’s university
system.
OSU is located in Corvallis, a community of 56,000 people situated in the Willamette Valley between
Portland and Eugene. Ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, forests, high desert, the rugged Cascade and Coast
Ranges and the urban amenities of the Portland metropolitan area are all within a 100-mile drive of
Corvallis. Approximately 19,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students are enrolled at OSU, including
3,000 U.S. students of color and 1000 international students.
Oregon State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer