Senior Research Scientist (PREP0004133)

Johns Hopkins University; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 103,320 - 130,872; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards package supporting health and career

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University seeks a Senior Research Associate for the NIST Professional Research Experience program. This role involves database design and software development to support hazard assessments for buildings.

The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering or a related field, with extensive experience in software development and a strong background in engineering and natural hazards.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on Structural Engineering or related field.
• Strong background in engineering and natural hazards.
• More than 7 years of experience in software development.

Responsibilities

• Review and assess the current design and data schema of the NED database.
• Conceptualize and design a robust data schema for consequence models integration.
• Collaborate closely with researchers and partners for database design improvements.

Skills

Software development

Engineering background

Probabilistic risk assessment

SQL database development

Python tools development

Git repository management

Education

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

Tools

Django Python package

Job description

Johns Hopkins University – Whiting School of Engineering – Office of Research and Translation

Salary

Salary : $85 an hour

Overview

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. The Senior Research Associate will support the development and implementation of a new non‑structural component fragility and consequence database for performance‑based hazard assessments of buildings. The role involves working with NIST researchers and external collaborators on database architecture, software development, and deployment of web‑based front‑end tools.

Key Responsibilities

• Review the current design and data schema of the NED database, assessing missing data representations, duplication, clarity, and scalability.
• Conceptualize and design a robust, scalable data schema to integrate consequence models into the NED architecture.
• Collaborate closely with NIST researchers and external partners to iterate and improve the database design and support its implementation.
• Direct development of database tools and supporting data‑management software.
• Direct development and deployment of web‑based front‑end software tools for user interaction with the database.
• Contribute to publication of a NIST report and data repository documenting the database.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship is preferred.
• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on Structural Engineering or a related field.
• Excellent record of research, publications, and strong communication skills.
• Strong background in engineering, natural hazards, and probabilistic risk assessment including uncertainty quantification.
• More than 7 years of experience in software development.
• Experience in the development, application, and implementation of the FEMA P-58 performance‑based assessment framework and associated fragility database.
• Experience developing and deploying Python tools and libraries.
• Experience in SQL database development and the Django Python package.
• Experience developing and managing Git repositories and deploying software to web‑based platforms.
• Experience in designing, implementing, and managing code quality assurance plans and test suites, including unit tests, continuous integration tests, linting, style conformance checks, and benchmarking tests.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a larger, multi‑disciplinary team to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines and reporting requirements.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports employees’ health, life, career, and retirement.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. The university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all programs, benefits, and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance, and merit.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

EEO is the Law. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website provides additional information: https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants