Postdoctoral Researcher - Geotechnical Engineering

Job Title

Postdoctoral Researcher (Geotechnical Engineering)

Agency

Prairie View A&M University

Department

Department of Civil Engineering

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Prairie View, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Important Immigration information:

A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Please be advised that Texas A&M University will NOT pay this fee. Therefore, if you need immigration sponsorship for your employment, we recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense to ascertain whether your current immigration status would make a potential offer of employment from Texas A&M University subject to this fee.

In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbot issued a moratorium on the filing of any new H-1B unless approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. Accordingly, if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status this moratorium may affect our ability to employ you should you be selected as the final candidate.

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The Postdoctoral Researcher in Geotechnical Engineering will conduct interdisciplinary research on intelligent monitoring, resilient geotechnical systems, and transportation infrastructure. The Postdoctoral Researcher will also teach a course per department needs and supervisor guidelines. The position will support research publications and competitive proposal development, collaborate with academic and external partners, mentor students, and assist in developing and operationalizing NCIT research laboratories.

This position is funded by restricted or grant funds. Continued employment is contingent upon the availability and renewal of restricted or grant funding.

The salary is determined in accordance with the University’s compensation structure and will be commensurate with the candidates’ education and experience, within the assigned salary range for this position.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and support cutting-edge research in geotechnical infrastructure systems and emerging geotechnical engineering technologies.
• Increase NCIT’s research productivity by developing and submitting new proposals for funding and publishing high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles and grant reports.
• Collaborate with internal and external research teams on interdisciplinary projects that align with NCIT research pillars and core areas.
• Supervise and mentor graduate and undergraduate students with research projects and encourage them to present and publish.
• Apply artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques to geotechnical engineering research, including intelligent monitoring, prediction of infrastructure performance, data-driven modeling, and risk assessment.
• Develop and implement AI/ML-based tools and data analytics workflows using field, laboratory, sensor, and infrastructure-monitoring data to support resilient geotechnical systems and transportation infrastructure research.
• Assist in the planning, designing, equipping, and operationalizing of NICT research labs by coordinating the procurement of equipment and software tools with guidance from the NCIT Director and Associate Director.
• Participate in seminars, workshops, and outreach events to support personal growth and NCIT’s professional development goals and objectives.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate level courses according to the needs of the department and under the guidance of the supervisor. (Associate Director).
• Perform other duties as assigned, including different administrative duties assigned to assist the NCIT Associate Director and the research team.

Required Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering), or a closely related engineering field or discipline.
• No prior experience required.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge and demonstration of skills with word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Strong knowledge of geotechnical fundamentals and soil behavior, numerical modeling, data analysis, and visualization techniques.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and collaborate effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Commitment to mentoring students and supporting their professional development.

Preferred Qualifications:

• One to two years of research experience in one or more of the geo-environmental and transportation Geotechnics fields (slope stability, pavement, waste management and landfill design, materials, smart monitoring systems of infrastructure, geotechnical health monitoring, unsaturated soil, expansive soil).
• Demonstrated experience with either writing or assisting with grant proposals.
• Experience with research dissemination through technical conferences and high-quality peer-reviewed publications is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in teaching graduate and undergraduate courses.
• Experience with advanced geotechnical software (e.g., PLAXIS, GeoStudio, FLAC) and programming and drawing tools (e.g., AutoCAD, ArcGIS, MATLAB, Python, R).
• Experience in laboratory and field research programs such as laboratory characterization of soils, field-scale geophysical testing, sensor-based monitoring, etc.
• Familiarity with data-driven methods, machine learning, and probabilistic analysis applied to geotechnical infrastructure systems.
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary teams of faculty, staff, and students.
• Adaptability to a fast-paced, evolving research environment.

Job Posting Close Date: 

• 11/07/2026

Required Attachments:

Please attach all required documents listed below in the attachment box labeled as either “Resume/CV or Resume/Cover Letter” on the application. Multiple attachments may be included in the “Resume/CV” or Resume/Cover Letter” attachment box.  Any additional attachments provided outside of the required documents listed below are considered optional.

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae

• Cover Letter

Application Submission Guidelines: 

All applicants are required to apply via our Career Site on or before the closing date indicated on the job posting. Applicant inquiries received via email and websites such as Indeed, HigherEdJobs, etc. will not be considered unless the individual has applied to the available position via the PVAMU Career site.

The required documents listed in the above "Required Attachments" section must be attached to the application prior to the job closing date indicated to ensure full consideration for the application submitted. Please contact the Office of Human Resource on or before the closing date indicated above at 936-261-1730 or [email protected] should you need assistance with the online application process.

Background Check Requirements:

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.