Career Center

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Transportation Systems Modeling & Urban Mobility Analytics

Cornell University's Center for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health (CTECH)--a U.S. Department of Transportation Tier 1 University Transportation Research Center dedicated to advancing sustainable technology-enabled mobility for public and planetary health-- located in Ithaca, NY, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Transportation Systems Modeling, Computing, and Cloud-Based Mobility Analytics Platforms as part of the CTECH Postdoctoral Fellows Program.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of computational transportation science, AI-enabled mobility modeling, urban analytics, and cloud-based decision-support platforms for real-world transportation agencies. The Postdoctoral Associate will join a multidisciplinary team of faculty, researchers, software developers, and agency partners, and will support ongoing deployment and expansion of tools such as Cornell's Transportation Environment Analysis Model for Cities (Cornell TEAM-Cities), the emerging urban transportation, environment, and community health modeling Hub (uTECH Hub), and the Blockchain powered Climate Actions in Transportation (CAT-Chain) ecosystems. This position is ideal for candidates interested in research-practice integration, large-scale mobility modeling, and translating advanced systems methods into operational tools used by cities, MPOs, and state DOTs.

Position Overview

The Postdoctoral Associate will lead and support research in:

• Transportation systems modeling and simulation, including O/D modeling, multimodal network modeling, agent-based or behavioral modeling
• Large-scale computing, cloud-native analytics workflows, and data engineering for mobility platforms
• AI/ML for transportation prediction, system optimization, and environmental/health impact modeling
• Deployment of decision-support tools for public-sector clients (municipalities, MPOs, DOTs)
• Urban mobility, equity, resilience, and environmental sustainability analysis
• Software engineering for cloud platforms supporting transportation planning and operations

The position includes opportunities to engage directly with city transportation departments, MPOs, state DOTs, and federal transportation agencies, contributing research that has immediate practical impact.

Research Responsibilities

Responsibilities will vary depending on the candidate's background, but may include:

• Developing new transportation modeling methods, including dynamic traffic assignment, AI-enhanced forecasting, optimization, or simulation-based analysis
• Building and scaling cloud-based activity-based mobility analytics systems (AWS/Azure/GCP) for large multi-city datasets
• Enhancing and deploying computational platforms such as Cornell TEAM-Cities, CATChain, uTECH, etc.
• Working with geospatial and mobility datasets (GPS trajectories, transit feeds, sensor data, demographic/socioeconomic data)
• Co-designing tools and analyses with municipal and MPO clients, including:
  • scenario modeling
  • project prioritization
  • equity assessments
  • emissions and health impact estimation
• Producing high-quality scholarly outputs including grant proposals, journal articles, conference papers, white papers, and public-facing reports
• Mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers involved in CTECH projects

Ideal Areas of Expertise

Applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas are especially encouraged to apply:

• Transportation Modeling & Analytics
• Agent-based or microsimulation modeling
• Multimodal network modeling (road, transit, micro-mobility, active modes)
• Travel demand forecasting or behavior modeling
• Computing & Data Systems
• Cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Big data pipelines, distributed computing, and geospatial data processing
• Python, R, SQL/NoSQL, containerization (Docker), Kubernetes
• API development and web-based analytics tools
• Systems, Optimization, and AI
• ML/AI for mobility prediction and optimization
• Graph algorithms, network science
• Spatiotemporal modeling
• Operational research for mobility and infrastructure
• Real-World Practice
• Prior collaboration with city/MPO/state transportation agencies
• Experience communicating modeling results to non-technical practitioners
• Familiarity with planning processes (TIP, MTP, NEPA, Vision Zero, etc.)

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. in Civil/Transportation Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Operations Research, Urban Analytics, or related fields
• Strong expertise in transportation systems modeling and computational methods
• Demonstrated programming proficiency (e.g., Python, R, JavaScript, SQL)
• Experience working with large, real-world mobility datasets
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines and with public-sector stakeholders
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Preferred:

• Experience developing or deploying software tools used by cities or MPOs
• Cloud platform experience (AWS preferred)
• Experience with mobility platforms, APIs, or web-based dashboards
• Background in transportation-environment-public health interactions

Through this website, applicants are to submit a cover letter describing research interests and how their expertise fits this position, curriculum vitae that includes a complete list of publications, a research statement on future research interests and directions, and career goals, etc. (3-page maximum, single space), graduate transcripts, three publications relevant to the topic and provide contact information for at least three references.

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of "... any person ... any study." No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual's genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

The salary range reflects an aggregate of qualifications and disciplines across Cornell University.

Minimum starting salary is $62,232.

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

Prior relevant work or industry experience.

Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.

Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

Unique applicable skills.

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.

Pay Range:

Pay Ranges:

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.

• Academic Discipline

• Unique applicable skills.

Employment Assistance:

Notice to Applicants:

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of "... any person ... any study." No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual's genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.