Post Doctoral Scholar

About the Role

The SHIELD Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Central Florida (UCF) is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Scholar through UCF's Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3) to conduct research at the intersection of structural dynamics and sensing, human-centered intelligent infrastructure, signal processing, machine learning, and data science. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Yohanna Mejia Cruz on the development of sensing and computational frameworks to characterize human mobility and behavior, with a particular focus on individuals with physical and cognitive impairments. The research will explore how the built environment can serve as a source of information to better understand mobility patterns, identify changes in behavior and potentially unsafe events, and support safer and more independent living. Approaches may integrate vibration-based and multi-modal sensing, structural dynamics, signal processing, sensor fusion, machine learning, and data-driven modeling, with the broader goal of advancing human-centered intelligent infrastructure, smart cities, and resilient communities.

Research Environment

The SHIELD Lab is a growing research group currently housed at the University of Central Florida. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help shape emerging research directions within the lab, develop an independent research profile, establish interdisciplinary collaborations, mentor students, and contribute to the growth of a new research program at UCF. The position is supported through UCF's Preeminent Postdoctoral Program (P3), which provides additional opportunities and resources for the scholar's professional development.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research aligned with the research mission of the SHIELD Lab
• Design and conduct experimental studies involving structural and human-centered sensing
• Develop and implement computational frameworks for processing and analyzing vibration, sensor, mobility, and multi-modal data
• Develop reproducible research workflows and maintain well-documented research code and datasets
• Lead and contribute to manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings
• Present research findings at national and international conferences and professional meetings
• Contribute to research proposals, technical reports, and other scholarly products
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research partners at UCF and other institutions

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field, from an accredited institution, with demonstrated expertise relevant to structural dynamics, sensing, signal processing, or data-driven analysis of physical systems
• Strong programming skills in Python, including experience with scientific computing and data analysis
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and contribute to peer-reviewed publications
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills
• Ability and interest in working collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with human-subject, mobility, rehabilitation, biomechanical, or health-related data, including experiments involving human participants and familiarity with IRB protocols and procedures
• Experience working in interdisciplinary research environments, particularly across engineering, health, rehabilitation, or related fields

Pay

$57,000.00

Schedule

Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm