Senior Research Assistant I

Position Announcement

Position Details

Proposed Start Date
02/02/2026

Rank
K1 - Senior research Asst I

Working Title
Senior Research Assistant I

Position Number
D93203

Representation
AU - AAUP

Faculty Type
Fixed Term Research/Grant

Fixed Term End Date:
01/31/2027

Position FTE
Variable between .5 and 1.0 FTE, starting at 1.0 FTE

Term of Service
12 month

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept

The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University (PSU) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research.

Position Summary

The Senior Research Assistant I (SRA I) will assist in the technical management of two transportation data projects that archive diverse transportation data sources and provide access and analysis through a website to transportation professionals. The SRA I will also help with:
- performing basic statistical analyses;
- managing and maintaining our databases; and
- coordinating and developing data collection procedures.

The two transportation data projects are PORTAL and BikePed Portal. PORTAL is the official Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan regional transportation data archive. It provides a centralized database that facilitates the collection, archiving, and sharing of data and information for the region's transportation agencies. Data sources include 20- second granularity loop detector data from freeways throughout the Portland-Vancouver area, arterial signals, travel time, freight volumes, transit, incidence, VAS/VMS message, and weather data. Many of these data sources are received by PORTAL in real-time. BikePed Portal is a national non-motorized count data archive. Like PORTAL it is a centralized database that collects, archives, and shares data for public agencies, researchers, educators, and other curious members of the public.

Managing these two projects, and future transportation data projects, require that the SRA I assist with the management and performance of all back-end development. Some front-end experience is desirable but not immediately necessary. PORTAL and BikePed Portal use PostgreSQL to store data. The 28+ terabyte database consists of hundreds of tables varying in sizes from a few gigabytes to a few terabytes. The data comes from approximately 10 transportation agencies and is transferred via API and secure data transfer methods. The SRA I will assist with managing or maintaining the data feeds and the data in the database, and help build and design any additional data architecture needed to continue current and future data projects. In addition to the database, PORTAL and BikePed Portal provide web sites where users can access and visualize the data so some front-end experience or familiarity is desirable but not necessary. We expect this position to grow with increasing responsibility.

Position Duties/Responsibilities:

• Database and Website Management (90%)

The SRA I will be responsible for helping with managing or maintaining the data feeds and the data in the database. In addition to the database, PORTAL and BikePed Portal provide web sites where users can access and visualize the data. The SRA I will help manage and maintain primarily the back-end the web interface with some front-end work, and help in developing new analysis and visualization applications and tools for both projects.

• Other duties assigned (10%)

Other duties assigned at the discretion of the supervisor, which may include troubleshooting and some management of other web related projects that may come up.

Primary Activity
R - Research

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's Degree with at least two years relevant experience.

• 2+ years of relevant data engineering experience:

1. Deep familiarity with PostgreSQL (or other similar relational database) and
2. Python.
3. 2+ years of PL/SQL experience.
4. Advanced understanding of working with big data (> 20 TB) and concurrently
5. managing multiple data sources, database tuning such as changing database
6. parameters, creating indexes, partitioning tables, and clustering data.
7. Very good at creating complex queries and analyzing data.

• Experience with the following operation systems:

1. 2+ years working with Linux
2. Must know how to do many of the OS amid work such as installing packages,
3. scheduling cron jobs, diagnosing problems, connection to servers remotely with
4. SSH, running and restarting services, etc.

• Experience with back-end development environments:

1. 2+ years of Django framework experience
2. Working with Apache, NGINX, and uWSGI webservers
3. Scheduling jobs using celery and supervisor
4. Some familiarity with PHP
5. CodeIgniter framework, 2+ years of experience
6. Building and working with restful APIs

• Experience building technical documentation
• Strong written and communication skills.
• Strong teamwork ethic.

Preferred Qualifications

Key Cultural Competencies

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement
• Adheres to all PSU's policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Professional Standards of Conduct

At Portland State University, all employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner which maintains a safe, respectful, and productive environment for faculty, students, administrators, and staff. It is the responsibility of every member of the Portland State University community to conduct themselves in accordance with our PSU Professional Standards of Conduct which are available at .

Total Compensation Range & Benefits Statement

The starting annual salary for this position will be $67,200 (at 1.0 FTE)

An excellent benefits package includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools.

Please visit our total compensation calculator to see the full value of our benefits package.

Application Instructions

Additional Information

Examples of a work sample include work you have completed on a web site, or a link to your GITHUB.

Working Conditions:
This is an in-person (on campus) position with the possibility of hybrid remote/in-person work

Additional Application Instructions (deadlines, etc.)

Reference letters will be requested only if you are selected for further consideration.

Does this position require the employee to drive a motor vehicle?
No

Background Check Required
Yes

If you have questions

Please email askportal@

Search Details

Posting Close Date

Projected Close Date for Posting
Open Until Filled

Application screening begins
12/22/2025

Will you consider an ABD applicant for this position?
No

If yes, when must the degree be earned?
Not applicable

If necessary, would you be willing to sponsor the succcessful applicant for permanent US residence, now or in the future?
No