Research Scientist, Civil and Environmental Engineering

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or jobs@unr.edu.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno is hiring a Research Scientist with an anticipated start date of September 15, 2026. The position will support a variety of research project and large-scale experimental testing focused on the assessment of buried infrastructure under extreme loading scenarios (e.g., earthquakes) and life-cycle assessment of state-of-the-art rehabilitation technologies for critical pipeline systems 

Primary responsibilities will include: 

• Facilitate the design, assembly, and operation of full-scale testing equipment for various research applications.

• Direct operations of an applied research project to ensure scientific milestones and impact are achieved in accordance with sponsor expectations.

• Manage project timelines, finances, and correspondence with internal/external partners.

• Write project proposals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), technical reports, and other documents associated with specific research goals.

• Interpret and refine experimental data.

• Communicate project outputs with various stakeholders (e.g., conference presentations).   

Required Qualifications
M.S. in structural, geotechnical, mechanical, materials engineering or a related field. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a research laboratory or similar setting (e.g., instrumentation, electronics, sensors, data acquisition, and/or signal processing) 

• Ability to work and communicate effectively and professionally with diverse groups of students, researchers, industry representatives, and faculty.

• Strong organizational skills including task and critical-path management.

Compensation Grade

University Instructor (Research Scientist)

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Academic Engineering Faculty (12-month, Rank I). Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Remarkable Retirement!

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University.  With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested on your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow!  All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada. 

Perks of Working at UNR!

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax!

Grants-in-Aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits but, in order to be eligible, children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is a research-active department with over 550 B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. students, 20 tenured/tenure-track faculty, seven research faculty, and various technical staff. The department offers ABET-accredited B.S. degree programs in both Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering, and graduate programs in five sub-disciplines that are nationally ranked by US News and World Report. In 2023 the department had annual research expenditures of over $9 million funded by external grants. It actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its programs and activities. 

College Information

Join the College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno We value faculty and staff as partners in our mission to deliver outstanding education, research and engagement. Our college seeks individuals committed to:

• Engaging in impactful outreach

• Providing state-of-the-art education

• Fostering respect, inclusiveness and diversity

Nevada Engineering is a fast-growing college, with research expenditures that have doubled over the past eight years. Supported by an Engineering Research Office, the college secured $27.9 million in research awards in FY25 and offers professional development resources to ensure success. We offer bachelor’s, graduate degrees and certificates through three schools:

• Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering

• Computer Science, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering

• Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial and Material Science Engineering

Our specialized facilities include the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research, Cybersecurity Center, the Nanofabrication Lab in the Davidson Foundation Cleanroom and the Nevada Water Innovation Institute. Located near the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center and offering ready access to the bustling California economy, Nevada Engineering collaborates with leading tech firms and advance research in robotics, AI, battery technology, aerospace, water systems and sustainable energy.  In Reno, you will find world-class outdoor recreation opportunities — including skiing, hiking, biking and water sports — in nearby Lake Tahoe and throughout the northern Nevada region.

For more information, please visit unr.edu/engineering.

Contact Information

Dr. Brad Wham at bwham@unr.edu

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at jobs@unr.edu.

Attach the following attachment(s) to your application

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Contact Information for Three Professional References

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno