A Research Assistant appointment is available for the Circular Innovations for Resilient Communities and Livable Environments (CIRCLE) Lab, headed by Dr. Fernanda Cruz Rios at the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. The project will investigate circular economy strategies in building design and their impacts to the materials-water-energy nexus in cities. This is an exciting project that involves multiple aspects and disciplines such as environmental sustainability, social and environmental justice, policy, design, urban planning, and technology.
The student would ideally have a MS degree in a field such as in civil engineering, architectural engineering, environmental engineering, architecture, or related field, but a strong undergraduate student enrolling directly into the PhD program would be considered. The successful applicant will have an excellent academic record and proven academic writing skills and be highly motivated and organized. The student should have research experience OR solid knowledge and interest in sustainable building design, circular economy, and life cycle assessment. The ideal candidate should have familiarity with writing computer codes and experience working with artificial intelligence/machine learning/data analytics. Experience working with ArcGIS is a plus. Outstanding candidates* that do not meet these criteria will be considered.
Drexel has a largely multidisciplinary Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering department, and the students may have opportunity to work in collaboration with other faculty from the College of Engineering and other colleges and fields, like computing and urban health. *In addition to the required knowledge and skills mentioned above, a few desired skills will significantly increase the student’s strength for this position. Candidates should highlight experience/skills in the following areas: social and environmental justice, team science/multidisciplinary projects, building information modeling, techno-economic assessment and qualitative data analysis (e.g., stakeholder interviews, thematic analysis/grounded theory/etc.).
Candidates should email fc432@drexel.edu with a CV, a 1-page statement of interest/motivation letter, and contact information of at least two references. For full consideration apply by December 15th, 2024, but review of candidates will continue until the position is filled. For more information about the graduate program, please visit: https://drexel.edu/engineering/admissions/graduate/recruitment-programs. Do not hesitate to contact Dr. Cruz Rios if you have any questions.