Research Engineer

Classification and Title: General Research Technology, 8352GT
Working Title: Research Engineer
Percent time: 100%
Term: 12 month renewable
Department: CFANS GEMS Informatics Center
Supervisor: Bryan Runck, PI Real-time GeoInformation Systems Lab
Location: 248 Ruttan Hall and 305 Cargill, St. Paul Campus

TITLE AND APPOINTMENT TERMS

Application Deadline: Application review will begin December 2. This position will remain open
until filled.

Position Overview: We seek a highly motivated multidisciplinary engineer to serve in the
Runck Lab in the GEMS Informatics Center. The successful candidate will support research in
instrumentation and internet of things systems and will support the GEMS Sensing Service
Organization.

DESCRIPTION
This is a 100% research position with the primary aim of prototyping and supporting existing
distributed, low cost electronics systems.

• Research and Development (70%)
  • Gain expertise in and perform research, development, prototyping, testing, and scaling process
    architecting focused on internet-connected hardware systems in the
    following respective areas:
    
    i. Sensing and Instrumentation
    ii. Robotics
    iii. Manufacturing
    iv. Wireless connectivity
    
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of IoT technologies as used in the context of food,
    agricultural and natural resource applications. This could include performing user
    surveys, interviews, and engaging design review sessions with users.
    Assist in collaborative platform development with the target users of the
    hardware systems, including working with scientists, farmers, and other user
    groups
  • Assist in producing quality professional and policy outputs such as science
    training documentation, tutorials, standard operating procedures, online content,
    journal articles, books, book chapters, and presentations
  • Assist the Lab Field Manager in the support, maintenance, and
    decommissioning or field-deployed systems.
    
• Research support (20%)
  • Support student and junior team members projects by providing technical
    expertise
  • Support lab management including the setup and maintenance of workspace
    and laboratory equipment performance by establishing quality standards;
    developing operations, quality, and troubleshooting procedures; building up
    specific experimental capabilities (machining, electronics, sourcing components);
    overseeing, coordinating, and/or executing capital and general equipment orders
    (working with vendors, obtaining quotes, etc.); ensuring staff compliance;
    certifying instrument performance; arranging equipment replacement, service,
    and repair; ensuring that lab consumables are stocked; coordinating removal of
    surplus equipment in the lab and ensuring general organization of each
    experimental station in the lab; ensuring lab users maintain their work areas in a
    clean and organized manner; schedule regular lab cleaning events for all
    graduate, postdoc, and researchers using the lab; along with other critical
    functions. Maintain an up-to-date description of lab materials for grant writing.
    
• Education and Training (10%)
  • Develop instructional materials for online and face-to-face environments
  • Provide regular, on-going training on internet of things technologies for K12,
    undergraduate, and adult learners in internet of things technologies

Essential Qualifications:

• A BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering,
  Physics, or a closely related field plus at least two years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and relevant work experience to equal at least six years.
  • Building 2 or more Internet of Things (IoT) prototype sensing, instrumentation,
    robotics, manufacturing, or wireless connectivity systems. Specifically, this
    includes design of power electronic systems, low power embedded systems, and
    analog signal chains
  • Designing and printing PCBs
  • Building hardware prototypes, developing firmware and/or software using tooling
    such as embedded C/C++, Eagle, Altium, Xilinx, Solidworks, Autodesk360.
  • Use of a high-level programming and scripting languages such Python, Matlab,
    or R, and exposure to Markdown (HTML, LaTEX)
  • Use of GitHub and the Particle Internet of Things platform
  • Providing technical support and developing patches for existing hardware and
    firmware systems
  • Working with and maintaining 3D printers
• Knowledge of the complete hardware system life cycle, including specification gathering,
  designing, prototyping, manufacturing, quality assurance, deployment, maintenance, and
  decommissioning
• One or more experiences working in an interdisciplinary setting with software engineers,
  data scientists, and non-engineers
  
  Desired Qualifications:
• An MS in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field with
  an undergraduate minor in computer science and 2 years of work experience in at least one of the following areas: sensing,
  instrumentation, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and wireless connectivity
• 2+ years of experience working with external manufacturers and doing design for
  manufacturing
• 2+ years of field experience deploying distributed sensing and actuation systems in
  remote, low connectivity, and harsh environments such as in developing countries or
  remote rural areas
• A proven track record of work across the complete hardware system life cycle, including
  specification gathering, designing, prototyping, manufacturing, quality assurance,
  deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning
• Familiarity with the Internet of Things stack from sensing and actuation platforms to
  wireless backhaul, web server, databases, and front-end applications
• Proven track record of deploying large sensing and actuation systems in remote and
  harsh environments with intermittent and low bandwidth data backhauls
• 4+ years of experience working with git and other software version control systems
• 4+ years experience working in agriculture and natural resources management contexts
• Willingness to travel to for up to 2-4 weeks at a time
• 1+ year of experience with technology commercialization and intellectual property
  protection
  

About the Runck Lab and GEMS Informatics Center
The Runck Lab focuses on the science and engineering of real-time geoinformation systems
ranging from data collection (hardware, firmware) through to data storage, modeling, and
visualization. On-going work focuses on the application of novel spatial machine learning and
artificial intelligence models in real-time to support decision-making, the development of novel
sensing modalities, and the effects of geovisualization systems on cross-organization
decision-making and action.

Funding for the lab comes from diverse sources including recurring funding through the GEMS
Informatics Center from the MnDRIVE program, federal grants, state grants, foundations, and
private companies. The lab fluctuates between 8 and 12 members with two full-time research
staff supporting lab operations and GEMS Sensing, a service organization focused on research
support for environmental data collection. Due to the applied and cross-sector nature of R&D,
the lab provides an opportunity to broadly engage in large, multidisciplinary, and high impact
R&D.

The GEMS Informatics Center is a joint initiative of the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural
Resource Sciences and the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute and is a highly diverse
international and interdisciplinary team of professionals. The Center is re-imagining the
relationships between data, institutions, and disciplines to inform and accelerate innovation
within the food and agricultural sectors. GEMS broadly seeks to make genomics, environmental,
management, and socioeconomic data inter-operable at varying spatial and temporal scales to
generate actionable information and promote new innovation partnerships that accelerates and
sustains growth in local and global food and agricultural systems.

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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