Disaster Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description
PREP Research Associate
This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.
Research Title:
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) Windstorm Disaster Survey Development Researcher
The work will entail:
Working with a social scientist to develop survey instruments to gather data concerning evacuations from windstorms. The survey instruments shall be developed to focus on two key stakeholders: 1) the public who live in areas impacted by windstorm disasters; and 2) emergency managers who make decisions for evacuations and other safety purposes during windstorm disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes, wind driven wildfires in the urban interface, etc.). The surveys should be designed to be utilized across different phases of the disasters to gather information such as factors that affect evacuation decision making and timing, how information is conveyed and represented along with how the information is transmitted or received including watches, and warnings and graphical products. The surveys should also focus on the communication of the information and decision-making process in relation to the risk assessment at different times. The developed survey instruments will be available for use in future windstorm disasters to inform best practices and other research needs.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Reviewing existing literature to identify areas for improvement regarding evacuation practices, procedures, and compliance.

§ Collaborating with a social scientist and broader team members to develop survey instruments tailored to residents and emergency managers across different phases of a disaster to improve evacuation and communication procedures.
§ Ensuring surveys are adaptable for use across multiple disaster types and time periods - from pre-event preparation through initial recovery phases.
§ Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.
§ Managing and maintaining research protocols, data, and documentation in an organized and compliant manner.
§ Assisting with the development of instruments and packages for Institutional Review Board IRB and/or Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) clearances.
Qualifications
§ US citizens preferred; currently living in the United States.
§ Familiarity with the physical impacts of wind, storm surge/waves, and/or wildfire on the built environment and infrastructure.
§ Familiarity with the human decision-making processes during high-stress, time-sensitive events, particularly around risk assessment and evacuation.
§ Experience in survey design methodology, ideally in social science research or public safety contexts.
§ A PhD. in Civil or Structural Engineering, or a related field.
§ Ability to clearly write technical reports.
§ Strong oral and written communication skills.
Application Instructions
Please upload the following with your application:
• CV/Resume
*Please limit C.V to 3 pages only and ONLY include a valid email address for your contact info. Your resume will not be considered if the following information is included on your CV/resume.
• Self portraits
• Phone number
• Home address/Country
• Citizenship status
• Languages spoken
Sex/Gender
Privacy Act Statement
Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)
Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor's degree holders, graduate students, master's degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.
PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.
Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.
Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Salary Range
The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.
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After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate's conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.
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Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.
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