B240901

Mentor: Dr. Avinash Unnikrishnan, Chair of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

The Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Health Professions at The University of Alabama at Birmingham invites applications for a postdoctoral research associate to help direct, manage, and further develop a driving simulator laboratory. The preferred candidate should have experience working with a desktop or a full cab driving simulator and using physiological sensors to study and analyze human factors in various driving environments. Candidates who do not have prior experience with driving simulators (https://www.faac.com/realtime-technologies/) but have the necessary technical, programming, and methodological background to learn in a couple of months will also be considered. The postdoctoral research associate should have a passion for inter-disciplinary research and must be able to collaborate and coordinate research efforts working with faculty from the College of Arts and Science, School of Medicine, School of Health Professions, and School of Engineering at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and other research agencies and industry partners. The candidate will be expected to lead and support research initiatives, recruit and manage participants for driving simulator research, help the faculty develop grant proposals, co-author high-quality publications, and make technical presentations. The candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to various existing research initiatives at UAB, including but not limited to the Center for Engagement in Disability Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (CEDHARS) (https://www.uab.edu/cedhars/) and numerous university-wide research centers (https://www.uab.edu/research/home/uwirc).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Engineering, Psychology, Computer Science, or any relevant discipline by start date.
• Experience in driving simulator, psychology, and human factor-related research. Candidates without driving simulator research experience but with a strong background in programming, sensors, statistical analysis, modeling, simulation, systems development, and human factors research who have the passion and ability to learn the driving simulator environment (https://www.faac.com/realtime-technologies/) will also be considered.
• Evidence of high-quality inter-disciplinary research.
• Excellent communication and presentation ability.
• Demonstration of leadership in research initiatives.
• Prior experience in grant proposal writing.
• Evidence of mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research.

Required Application Documents

Review of applications will begin February 15, 2024, and continue until positions are filled. Applications may be submitted via the email below attention to: Dr. Avinash Unnikrishnan. The expected starting date is May 2024. The current position is for a year with a possibility of renewal, subject to funding availability. Applications should include a cover letter outlining interest, a CV, and contact information for at least two professional references. Questions may be directed to Dr. Avinash Unnikrishnan, Chair of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, SOE, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a Carnegie Level 1 research university and academic health center with more than 22,000 students and 2,400 full-time faculty members. The University has made great advances across several metrics in recent years, including enrollment, student academic quality, and research productivity. UAB is internationally renowned for its intensely collaborative culture that has — for more than five decades — produced breakthroughs in education, health care, research, and service. UAB was ranked #1 in the United States for 2018 and 2019 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for Young Universities. In 2021, UAB was named America’s number one best large employer by Forbes, topping a list of more than 500 public and private corporations, hospitals, and universities. In addition, Forbes named UAB number four in the nation for diversity among large employers. Spanning more than 100 city blocks, UAB is the state of Alabama’s largest single employer with nearly 28,000 employees and has an annual, state-wide economic impact exceeding $12.1 billion. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” ranks 16 UAB graduate programs among the nation’s top 25 and eight UAB specialties were ranked among the nation’s top 50 in the magazine’s 2022-2023 Best Hospitals report. UAB research grants and awards are at a record high, totaling $715 million in FY22 - a 50% increase over the past five years. UAB ranks 33rd among all universities in federal research funding and 17th among public universities. UAB's NIH funding continues to grow among peer institutions in the Southeast and beyond, with the university ranking 25th among all universities in NIH funding and 11th among public universities.

EEO Statement

UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression, or sexual orientation. UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.

Pre-employment Background Check

A pre-employment background check investigation is performed on candidates selected for employment.