Postdoctoral Associate--Energy & Buildings

The successful candidate will work with a team of researchers in the built environment group at the Center for Urban Policy Research on externally funded projects supporting the sustainable energy transition. Projects include a mix of research design, fieldwork, data science, simulation modeling, writing, and presentations. Topics include building-level decarbonization, indoor air quality, thermal comfort, occupant behavior, codes and standards, community infrastructures, technology diffusion, policy analysis, and related themes. The projects bring together multi-disciplinary teams for research involving interactions among built environments, technologies, and people. A common thread is policy relevance at the state or local level. Funders include the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the National Science Foundation, and others. 
Specific postdoc duties will depend on the successful candidate’s skills and interests as matched to project needs. These include a subset of:
  • Data science skills including coding (python, R), inferential statistics, predictive modeling, GIS, applied AI, task automation.
  • Professional knowledge of architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or civil engineering related to the building sciences.
  • Working knowledge of tools of social science research including surveys, focus groups, interviews, field research methods, and unobtrusive observation.
  • Familiarity with energy policy analysis approaches and methods including stakeholder interest and conflict analysis, benefit-cost analysis, program evaluation, regulatory policy analysis, and report writing.

Before being hired, candidates shall have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. in one of the building sciences, urban planning, public informatics, or a related field.

Required
    • Professional knowledge of buildings and associated technologies
    • Substantive knowledge of energy policy and methods of policy analysis and program evaluation
    • Fluency in task automation, data cleaning and analysis in a programming language, with a preference for Python and/or R
    • Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail; the successful candidate will record and share detailed accounts of their efforts (analysis steps, etc.) and participate in regularly scheduled research team meetings
    • Strong written communication skills; the successful candidate will be involved in producing written reports summarizing research findings and describing research materials and methodology.

 

Preferred
  • Experienced in social science research methods
  • Experienced with advanced statistical analysis
  • Experienced in building energy performance simulation modeling
  • Ability to perform spatial analysis, particularly ArcGIS and/or QGIS
  • Interest in publishing peer-reviewed research papers

The position is in-person, with some flexibility for remote work—and the possibility of renewal for a second year.

 

Read more / apply
  • Application deadline: Oct 31, 2023
  • Rutgers University
  • Center for Urban Policy Research
  • New Brunswick, NJ, USA
  • Postdoc Positions
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