Postdoctoral Research Associate

Online applications must be received before 12:00am on:

October 7, 2024

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

306-NN_FACULTY - Postdoctoral Research Associate

Business Title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Employee Type:

Faculty

Position Term:

12 Month

Position Details:

The Complex Social Interactions Lab (CSI) in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University is excited to announce an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Statistical Scientist) in Pullman, WA. This position will support efforts to assist police departments in Washington State in maximizing the utility of their body-worn camera (BWC) programs. This twelve-month, fixed-term position is renewable for up to three years from the hire date. The anticipated hire date is January 6, 2025. Renewal depends on satisfactory performance, the continued need for the position, and funding continuation.

About the CSI Lab: The Complex Social Interactions (CSI) Lab at Washington State University is dedicated to improving police interactions by assisting law enforcement agencies with reviewing body-worn camera footage. Our mission is to advance our understanding of human behavior and social relationships within interactions that can become intensive, emotional, and complex, thereby enhancing law enforcement officers and their community's safety and well-being. By exploring the complexities of police-community interactions, we aim to identify evidence-based strategies for reducing conflicts, improving communication, and fostering trust between police agencies and the public, including developing new research methodologies and technologies to improve the operationalization of footage for evidence-based practice purposes. With over six years of experience analyzing large-scale datasets, including over 40,000 hours of un-redacted body-worn camera footage structured within the lab, we have established a reputation for producing high-impact research that informs policy and practice. The lab has involved over 300 undergraduate and graduate students since its inception, with regular semester participation of 40-50 students.

Job Duties:

As the Postdoctoral Research Associate, you will be responsible for designing and implementing new methodologies and tools to improve body-worn camera footage analysis accuracy and efficiency, including machine learning algorithms and natural language processing tools. Duties include but are not limited to: design, implement, and query databases to store and analyze large datasets related to body-worn camera footage, support CSI Faculty with advanced statistical analyses using regression and matching techniques to evaluate the efficacy of training programs, policy changes, and risk management strategies among law enforcement agencies, as well as trends and patterns in police-community interactions.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in computer science, data science, data analytics, or related fields.

• Experience with cloud-based architecture and software development.

• Experience with database management systems (DBMS) such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle.

• Microsoft Database experience (e.g., Microsoft Access).

• Experience with machine learning algorithms and natural language processing tools.

• Proficiency in designing, implementing, and