Research Associate

RTF00109PO26

Research Associate

Research Associate

Columbia

Richland

College of Engineering and Computing

CEC Mechanical Engineering

$52,526 - $75,000

Full Time

40

Staff Research Grant (SRGP)

12 months

Other Professional

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

A research associate will investigate and develop autonomous systems, such as unmanned surface vessels. Design and develop sensors (camera and lidar), guidance, navigation, and control systems onboard unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Implement guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for autonomous vehicle operation in the littoral environment. Maintain and operate the USVs in littoral environments to acquire measurements required to meet research goals. Analyze data acquired using MATLAB or other programming languages. Documenting technical results and presenting the results in project meetings and conferences. Assistance in proposal preparations, journal article preparation, and supervising undergraduate and graduate students.

Design and develop autonomous systems for unmanned surface vessels. This includes perception systems (camera, Lidar, radar, and INS) and guidance, navigation, and control systems, implemented using ROS or directly in Python, MATLAB, or C++. A reliable collection of testing data is required from the autonomous system. Perform simulation of autonomous surface vessels in the maritime environment

Yes

40

Process and analyze collected data and sensor readings from the littoral environment using MATLAB or other computer languages. Identify and develop computer vision methods or other relevant approaches to process environmental data for situational awareness, such as ocean currents, wave states, and other variables. Identify and develop algorithms to analyze the data for autonomous vehicle navigation and control.

Yes

30

Create technical documentation of project results. Contribute to the monthly report required by the project sponsor. Prepare slides, videos, and demos for the quarterly project reviews. Present the research outcomes in internal meetings and conferences and to sponsors.

Yes

20

Oversee students in using the sensor system and simulation of the autonomous systems. Guide students in troubleshooting the sensors and program (e.g., SDK) and simulation. Assist in instructing the students in autonomous surface vessel deployment and data acquisition in the littoral environment.

Yes

10

Non-Essential

No

1

08/16/2026

08/15/2027

05/18/2026

07/16/2026

No

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDs status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.