Senior Research Associate

Position Details

Compensation: $70,000–$75,000 yearly, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Position Type/Schedule: Full-time

Work Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois

Work Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, both presently and for the duration of employment with the university.

Summary

The Built Environment Research Group (BERG) in the School of Engineering, Applied Science, and Health at Illinois Institute of Technology seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support an interdisciplinary project developing and evaluating improvised building protection strategies for mitigating indoor exposure to outdoor aerosol hazards. The strategies must utilize common household items to devise systems that maintain positive indoor pressure through filtered outdoor air supply, as well as recirculating filtration to reduce exposure once particles enter a building. The successful candidate will integrate controlled-chamber experiments, field measurements, and physics-based modeling to determine how filter, fan, duct, building, and weather conditions affect air infiltration, particle penetration, energy use, comfort, and the reliability of protective operation.

Key Responsibilities

Key responsibilities entail:

• Plan and conduct large-chamber experiments to evaluate filter, fan, duct, and improvised connection configurations across airflow rates and pressure differentials.
• Measure and analyze indoor and outdoor fine and ultrafine particle concentrations, building pressure differences, airflow and air change rates, weather and thermal conditions, and electrical power use.
• Design and execute short- and long-term field studies in test homes and residences, including equipment installation, quality assurance, maintenance, and data retrieval.
• Estimate and interpret air change rates, particle penetration and infiltration factors, and indoor removal rates under baseline and positive pressurization conditions.
• Develop and validate single- and multizone airflow models using CONTAM or comparable tools, and conduct parametric analyses across building types, climates, weather conditions, and system configurations.
• Maintain organized data, code, experimental records, protocols, and quality control documentation to support reproducible research.
• Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, conference presentations, sponsor updates, and public-facing guidance in text, visual, and video formats.
• Coordinate research activities with principal investigators and collaborators and mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.

Communications

The postdoctoral researcher will maintain regular communication with the principal investigators through written updates and online and in-person meetings. The researcher will collaborate with students, participate in sponsor meetings, and clearly communicate research methods, findings, limitations, and progress to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Education & Experience

Required:

• A completed PhD, awarded by the appointment start date, in architectural engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, building science, aerosol science, or a closely related field.
• Research experience in at least one of the following areas: building airflow and infiltration, indoor air quality, aerosol measurement, HVAC filtration, building energy systems, or building performance modeling.
• Evidence of scientific productivity through peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, or comparable scholarly work.
• Demonstrated experience designing experiments, analyzing multivariable time-series data, and documenting research methods and results.

Preferred

• Experience conducting chamber experiments or field studies in buildings.
• Experience with aerosol instrumentation, pressure and airflow measurements, tracer gas methods, or environmental monitoring systems.
• Experience with CONTAM or other airflow and building performance simulation tools.
• Experience coordinating research tasks, mentoring students, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams or external sponsors.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of building airflow, pressure driven infiltration, ventilation, filtration, particle transport, and indoor mass balance principles.
• Ability to select, calibrate, deploy, troubleshoot, and maintain research instrumentation and data acquisition systems.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization using Python or comparable scientific software.
• Ability to develop, calibrate, and evaluate physics-based models and compare model predictions with measured data.
• Strong scientific writing, oral presentation, project organization, and collaborative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple experimental, modeling, and dissemination activities.

Certifications & Licenses

No professional license is required. The selected candidate must complete applicable laboratory and field safety training before conducting project activities.

Physical Environments

The position combines office, laboratory, and field work. The researcher must be able to work on-site in the BERG laboratory and at field-study locations; transport, install, and maintain portable monitoring equipment; work around fans, filters, ducts, and data-acquisition systems; and enter residential and other building environments while following site-specific safety and occupant-protection procedures. Some local travel and work outside standard office hours may be required to support time-sensitive experiments or field measurements.

Work environments include a normal office, shared workspace, laboratory, and residential or other field-study locations.

Benefits

Illinois Tech offers eligible employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; life and long-term disability insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan with university contributions and matching for eligible employees; tuition assistance programs; flexible spending and commuter benefits; an employee assistance program; university holidays; and applicable paid and job-protected leave benefits. Eligibility, waiting periods, employee contributions, and coverage levels vary by benefit and position. Our commitment to employee well-being is reflected in our competitive benefits package located here: Benefits Summary

EEO Statement

Illinois Institute of Technology is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer dedicated to building a community of excellence, equity, inclusion, and diversity. It is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and actively seeks applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities, regardless of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, disability, age, unfavorable discharge from the military, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, including gender identity and expression, order of protection status, and/or genetic information. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment.