Research and Technical Positions | Information Sciences Institute

Research and Technical Positions | Information Sciences Institute
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ISI offers a prestigious, intellectually vibrant environment on both coasts. As a world-class institution, we combine the best of major research universities and industry research-and-development labs. The result is a flexible, cross-disciplinary working environment in which information scientists can explore the subjects that intrigue them most, anywhere on the basic-to-fully-applied research spectrum.
Academic Advantages
As a unit of USC’s highly ranked Viterbi School of Engineering, ISI provides the independence of an academic setting, along with a lengthy history of federal research support. Individuals are encouraged to seek funding for their research priorities and to pursue that work as fully as their resources allow.
Researchers who enjoy collaborating with students may engage USC Viterbi master's and Ph.D. candidates as research assistants. ISI professionals also may be considered for Research Faculty appointments, enabling them to teach courses in computer science, electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, astronautics and aerospace, material science and other fields.
Industry Appeal
Conversely, ISI resembles corporate labs in its emphasis on projects and systems, along with a leadership commitment to collaborative efforts. Researchers often work closely with ISI colleagues in different disciplines, in departments on USC’s main campus, and at other institutions. Our people also can move beyond pure research to work directly with real-world technology users.
We hire talented researchers, engineers, and research programmers and managers in Marina del Rey, California, Arlington, Virginia, and Waltham, Massachusetts. Please consult the
USC employment site
for current openings.
In addition, we periodically launch new research projects or directions. If you don’t see the right opening, but consider your skills and knowledge ideal for ISI, please submit a resume and letter describing your primary interests and/or research areas to ISI human resources.
ISI also offers a
Researcher in Residence
that provides talented researchers with the opportunity to pursue creative work for one to two years without extraneous encumbrances.
Research Staff Titles
To recognize the contributions of our researchers, ISI has created internal titles that reflect the expectations of and contributions made by our staff. These titles may be held in parallel with faculty titles, when appropriate.
Below are the current ISI research staff titles with the descriptions of the job responsibilities they entail. These require promotions beyond the USC staff title of
Computer Scientist
, which is the initial title granted to every researcher hired into ISI.
Lead Scientist
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Articulate their own scientific/technical research agenda.
Keep abreast of research, technology and funding opportunities in their areas of research focus.
Network with professional counterparts inside and outside the university.
Author articles for publications; help organize, participate in, and make presentations at professional meetings.
Develop, plan and pursue a research strategy, including funding opportunities.
Plan and manage project finances, working with their supervisor and the business office when necessary. Alert ISI management in a timely manner to problems that are beyond their control.
Recommend hires based on their goals, objectives, opportunities and funding. Recommend salaries, including raises, promotions, and reclassifications for people they may supervise.
Successfully execute all research and administrative responsibilities associated with their awards.
Contribute to the direction of the Institute through technical discussions and business development.
Help ISI management identify strategic hires and other opportunities for growth in their area.
Principal Scientist
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Articulate a scientific/technical vision for their research area.
Keep abreast of research, technology and funding opportunities in their areas of research focus.
Network with professional counterparts inside and outside the university.
Author articles for publications; organize, participate in, and make presentations at professional meetings.
Develop, direct, plan and oversee a research strategy for their team, including identifying short- and long-term potential opportunities for themselves and other members of the team. Pursue research directions and funding opportunities and mentor or otherwise assist others in pursuing them.
Work with team members to develop their respective research and career goals. Track team members' career progress and provide mentorship and support.
Plan and manage the team's financial strategy, working with their supervisor and the business office when necessary. Monitor their financial situation. Alert ISI management in a timely manner to problems that are beyond their control.
Determine staffing needs and projections based on goals, objectives, opportunities and funding in their area. Recommend team member salaries, including raises, promotions, and reclassifications.
Successfully oversee and/or execute all research and administrative responsibilities associated with their awards.
Contribute to the direction of the Institute through technical discussions and business development.
Identify, and with Institute assistance pursue strategic hires and other opportunities for growth in their area.
Research Director and/or Distinguished Principal Scientist
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Articulate a scientific/technical vision for the research group.
Keep abreast of research, technology and funding opportunities in their areas of research focus.
Network with professional counterparts inside and outside the university.
Author articles for publications; organize, participate in, and make presentations at professional meetings.
Develop, direct, plan and oversee a research strategy for their area, including identifying short- and long-term potential opportunities for themselves and other members of their group. Pursue research directions and funding opportunities and mentor or otherwise assist others in pursing them.
Develop a strong research group. Work with group members to develop their respective research and career goals. Track group members' career progress and provide mentorship and support.
Plan and manage the group's financial strategy, working with the business office when necessary. Monitor the financial situation of the group. Alert ISI management in a timely manner to problems that are beyond their control.
Determine staffing needs and projections based on goals, objectives, opportunities and funding of the group. Determine and/or recommend group member salaries, including raises, promotions, and reclassifications.
Successfully oversee and/or execute all research and administrative responsibilities associated with their group's awards.
Contribute to the direction of the Institute through technical discussions and business development.
Identify, and with Institute assistance, pursue strategic hires and other opportunities for growth in their area.
Research Engineer Titles
ISI research would not be possible without the software, hardware, and systems engineering that makes our systems work. To recognize the contributions of our research engineers, ISI has created job titles that reflect the expectations of and contributions made by those members of our staff who advance our research by designing and building our research systems, infrastructures, demonstrations, and prototypes. These job titles reflect ISI’s recognition of our engineers’ level of contribution to research projects.
See
this news article
describing ISI’s efforts to recognize the expertise and contributions of our staff on the research engineer track.
Below are the current USC/ISI research engineer titles with the descriptions of the job responsibilities they entail.
Research Engineer I
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Minimum Degree:
Bachelor
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
2/4 years
• Support research efforts by implementing technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Work closely with senior researchers and contribute to team efforts to transform ideas into implemented solutions and prototypes.
• Contribute to system implementation and documentation, and to publications.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and executes applied research.
• May oversee staff and students.
Research Engineer II
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Minimum Degree:
Bachelor
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
3/5 years
• Support research efforts by implementing technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Work closely with senior researchers and contribute to team efforts to transform ideas into implemented solutions and prototypes.
• Contribute to system implementation and documentation, and to publications.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and executes applied research.
• May oversee staff and students.
Sr. Research Engineer I
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Minimum Degree:
Masters
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
5/7 years
• Implement technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Collaborate with more senior staff to transform ideas into implemented solutions.
• Contribute to system implementation and documentation, and to publications.
• Independently develop parts of a larger system.
• Propose approaches to problems and implementation methods using state-of-the-art tools.
• Divide project-level goals into smaller tasks to be addressed by researchers.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and execute applied research.
• Maintain substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories, and when possible contribute to scientific literature and conferences.
Sr. Research Engineer II
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Minimum Degree:
Masters
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
8/9 years
• Implement technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Collaborate with more senior staff to transform ideas into implemented solutions.
• Contribute to system implementation and documentation, and to publications.
• Independently develop parts of a larger system.
• Propose approaches to problems and implementation methods using state-of-the-art tools.
• Divide project-level goals into smaller tasks to be addressed by researchers.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and execute applied research.
• Maintain substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories, and when possible contribute to scientific literature and conferences.
Lead Research Engineer
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Minimum Degree:
Masters
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
10/15 years
• Oversee implementation of technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Transform research ideas into implemented solutions.
• Contribute to larger team efforts in implementing research prototypes and to documentation and publications.
• Independently develop parts of a larger system.
• Propose approaches to problems and methods for implementing solutions using state-of-the-art tools.
• Divide project-level goals into smaller tasks to be addressed by researchers.
• Support research and technical direction at the division and/or institute level.
• Lead internal and external stakeholders.
• Devise new approaches to problems.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and execute applied research.
• Maintain substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories, and contribute to scientific literature and conferences.
• Participate in development of patent applications.
• Coordinate interdepartmental activities and research efforts.
Principal Research Engineer
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Minimum Degree:
Masters
Minimum/Preferred Experience:
15/17 years
• Oversee implementation of technical solutions to novel research problems.
• Transform research ideas into implemented solutions.
• Contribute to larger team efforts in implementing research prototypes and to documentation and publications.
• Independently develop parts of a larger system.
• Propose approaches to problems and methods for implementing solutions using state-of-the-art tools.
• Divide project-level goals into smaller tasks to be addressed by researchers.
• Support research and technical direction at the division and/or institute level.
• Lead internal and external stakeholders.
• Devise new approaches to problems.
• Initiate the design, development and implementation of technology research projects.
• Investigate feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products.
• Plan and execute applied research.
• Maintain substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories, and contribute to scientific literature and conferences.
• Participate in development of patent applications.
• Coordinate interdepartmental activities and research efforts.
Research Affiliate Titles
ISI has working relationships with many people beyond its own faculty and staff. Two broad classes of such relationships are
Affiliated Faculty at ISI
and
Affiliated Scientists at ISI
. Affiliated Faculty are faculty at USC who have a close working relationship with ISI. Affiliated Scientists are researchers at other institutions, whether faculty or not, who collaborate closely with ISI. ISI members who are interested in sponsoring someone for such titles can find the details on the Staff Portal website in the News and Memos section.