Research Scientist

Research Engineering/Scientist Associate I, II, or III Join the Center for Space Research (CSR) at the University of Texas at Austin. The CSR is an Organized Research Unit of the Cockrell School of Engineering, focused on scientific research from spaceborne platforms. Proven leaders in space missions, CSR operates four active missions and offers opportunities for early career engineers to contribute to the full life‑cycle of space projects. Job Details US permanent residency or citizenship is required due to sponsor requirements. Benefits Competitive health benefits: employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50% Voluntary vision, dental, life and disability insurance options Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with employer matching funds Additional voluntary retirement programs: Tax‑Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and deferred compensation 457(b) Flexible spending account for medical and childcare expenses Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning and professional conference opportunities Tuition assistance Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets Free access to UT Austin libraries and museums with staff ID card Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin Capital Metro buses with staff ID card Purpose The RESA I‑III is needed to conduct spaceflight engineering activities in support of the GRACE Follow‑On, GRACE‑Continuity, and QGG Pathfinder missions led by Caltech/JPL. Work spans mission design, flight dynamics, requirements verification, science traceability, and support for operations and science analysis. Responsibilities Support spaceflight systems engineering activities, such as requirements development, interface definition, and verification & validation planning. Perform data analysis of flight telemetry and housekeeping data to monitor spacecraft health, evaluate system performance, and assess impacts of the space environment. Support development of science data systems for upcoming missions, including data pipelines, analysis and visualization tools, quality control strategies, and integration with operations. Conduct trade studies to evaluate alternative mission design approaches. Prepare clear technical reports, presentations, and briefings to communicate results, recommendations, and project status to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders. Other related functions as assigned. Required Qualifications RESA I: Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field. RESA II: Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field, or BS and two years’ experience in the field. RESA III: MS and two years’ experience, or BS and four years’ experience in the field. For all levels Familiarity with spaceflight environment and spaceflight systems engineering. Strong foundation in aerospace systems and spaceflight dynamics. Ability to carry out spaceflight analysis, including relevant data analysis. Programming and data analytics skills. Preferred Qualifications Strong verbal communication, teamwork, technical writing, analytical, critical thinking, problem‑solving, and time‑management skills. Ability to take initiative and drive for results in a fast‑paced, interrupt‑driven environment. Systems engineering practices (requirements, verification & validation, interface control). Flight telemetry and housekeeping data analysis for spacecraft health and space environment effects. Programming in Python, MATLAB, FORTRAN, C++ or similar. Database management systems such as TimescaleDB/PostgreSQL, MongoDB. Visualization interfaces such as Grafana, Plotly. Salary Range RESA I: $70,000+ RESA II: $80,000+ RESA III: $90,000+ Working Conditions May work around standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard and mouse. Climbing of stairs. Work Shift Monday – Friday, typical office hours plus occasional after‑hours work. Required Materials Resume/CV Three work references, at least one a supervisor Letter of interest Important For applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: submit resume first, then upload a new resume for subsequent apps. All required materials must be uploaded before submission. Employment Eligibility Regular staff employed for the last six continuous months are eligible. Promotion/transfer eligible staff may apply without supervisor approval. Retirement Plan Eligibility Teacher Retirement System of Texas, with employer matching, requires at least 20 hours per week and 135 days in length. Background Checks Criminal history background check required for finalists. Equal Opportunity Employer The University of Texas at Austin is an equal opportunity employer in compliance with all applicable laws. Pay Transparency UT Austin will not discriminate based on pay inquiries. Employment Eligibility Verification Accepted I‑9 form and required documents must be provided within three days of hire. E‑Verify E‑Verify Poster (English and Spanish) – PDF Right to Work Poster (English) – PDF Right to Work Poster (Spanish) – PDF Compliance Employees may be required to report violations under Title IX and the Clery Act. The Clery Act requires notification of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. #J-18808-Ljbffr