Senior Research Assistant Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) conducts research to save lives, time, and money and protect the environment. As one of six premier research institutes created by Virginia Tech to answer national challenges, VTTI is continually advancing transportation through innovation and has affected public policy on national and international levels. This position provides a hands‑on opportunity to work with cutting‑edge vehicle and roadway lighting technologies through systematic deployment and testing. Watch this video to learn more about what it’s like to work at VTTI! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4VWviw5JA

VTTI seeks a qualified and ambitious researcher with a strong background in either Engineering/Psychology with Lighting or Visibility specialization and Human Factors experience or Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited to degrees in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors, etc. The ideal candidate is an experienced researcher capable of supporting (as a research associate) or leading research projects (as a senior research associate) and working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to improve transportation safety through cutting‑edge research.

This position independently plans, schedules, conducts, or coordinates detailed tasks as part of major transportation lighting and infrastructure safety projects. Work performed involves engineering practice but may include a variety of complex features such as conflicting design requirements, unsuitability of conventional materials, and difficult coordination requirements. The ideal candidate will contribute to research conceptualization, proposal development, and resource acquisition as well as interact with sponsors, interpret findings, prepare reports, and present results. Work will be tailored to the experience of the candidate but will primarily focus on transportation safety projects that include lighting, visibility, signaling, signage, traffic safety, accident databases, safety modeling (including safety performance functions and crash mitigation factors), roadway design, intersection and pedestrian safety, traffic control/operation devices, driver behavior, traffic theory and human factors. Work requires a broad knowledge of precedents in the specialty area and a good knowledge of and practices of related specialties.

Position is open rank for either at the rank of Research Associate or Senior Research Associate, and offer of rank will be determined based on the successful candidate’s commensurate experience.

• Assist in the development of proposals and research plans
• Research and assist in the composition of literature reviews
• Help organize, attend, and participate in project meetings
• Assist with the conceptualization and creation of work plans, protocols, and procedures
• Coordinate and collaborate with subcontractors and interface with stakeholders and sponsors as required
• Analyze data including preparing SAS, Matlab, ArcGIS and SQL analyses
• Interpret results and develop robust conclusions

Directions given and received:

• Work with peers, research assistants, undergrad students, technicians and support staff to coordinate project tasks
• Must be able to work effectively independently with oversight as well as within multidisciplinary project teams as appropriate

• Act as Principal Investigator on funded research projects
• Lead the development of proposals, research plans, and composition of literature reviews
• Write, review, and critique proposals, research plans, and final reports
• Organize, attend, and participate in project meetings
• Conceptualize and write work plans
• Manage project activities and execution of research plan
• Respond to requests for proposal and obtain funding with the goal of providing sustainable support for themselves and other researchers
• Maintain existing sponsor relationships, develop new relationships with potential sponsors, and solicit research funding
• Analyze data including preparing SAS, Matlab, ArcGIS and SQL analyses
• Present research findings
• Collaborate and participate in industry conferences, seminars and committees
• Collaborate on research studies as needed
• Present and publish research findings

Directions given and received:

• Independently perform most assignments with instructions as to the general results expected
• Receive technical guidance on unusual or complex problems and supervisory approval on proposed plans for projects
• Supervise students, junior researchers and waged employees as needed

• Research Associate rank will require a master’s degree in Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited to a degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors, etc.
• Senior Research Associate rank will require a PhD in Engineering/Statistics with safety analysis and/or transportation safety specialization including but not limited to degrees in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Human Factors, etc. (candidates with an advanced degree and significant experience in lieu of PhD may be considered).

• Excellent communications and organizational skills
• Strong experience in transportation safety related research or lighting and visibility research
• Ability to lead project teams and oversee project schedule, budgets, and deliverables
• Demonstrated strong writing and organizational skills
• Solid understanding of engineering principles needed to analyze, verify, and interpret work
• Strong GIS based Data Analysis experience
• Strong statistical methods including experience in the analysis of large‑scale data sets from multiple sources using a variety of tools including but not limited to SAS, MatLab, ArcGIS, SQL Server

• Knowledge on transportation safety tools such as the Highway Safety Manual, the Manual on Traffic Control Devices, Illuminating Engineering Recommended Practices, crash modification factors, safety performance functions, and strategic safety plans is extremely desirable.
• Previous project management experience including coordinating technicians, researchers, undergraduate and graduate level students

Overtime Status: Exempt – Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type: Restricted

Salary Information: Research Associate rank starting at $70,000; Senior Research Associate rank starting at $95,000; commensurate with experience

Hours per week: 40

Review Date: 7/22/2026

Additional Information: The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Natalie Jett at njett@vtti.vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.