Desert Research Institute · 5 months ago
Graduate Research Assistant, PhD
DRI - Reno, NV
Full-time
Onsite
New Grad, Entry LevelThe Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada, is seeking a highly motivated PhD student to work on a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research project focused on light scattering and aerosol optical property characterization. The role involves experimental and theoretical work, including the development of advanced aerosol optical instrumentation and data acquisition.
Environmental Services
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Aerosol optical characterization using advanced angularly resolved light scattering measurements using static, dynamic, and holography-based systems
Development and enhancement of aerosol optical instrumentation, including multi-wavelength nephelometers, PM monitoring sensors, and lidar-based remote sensing tools
Laboratory generation and optical characterization of bioaerosols (e.g., pollen, spores), mineral dust aerosols, and other particles relevant to defense system and atmospheric optics
Data acquisition, signal processing, and integration with real-time particle sizing instruments
Qualification
Required
A bachelor's degree in physics, computer engineering, or a closely related discipline is required
To be eligible for an assistantship, students must be admitted to the Department of Physics, an Engineering Department, or any other Department at the University of Nevada, Reno
The student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and must be continuously enrolled in at least 6 graduate level credits throughout the duration of the assistantship
Demonstrate experience is desired in: Hands-on experience with laser-based experiments, optical instrumentation, and aerosol sampling systems is considered a plus
Electronic systems, signal acquisition, microcontrollers (e.g., Arduino, Raspberry Pi), circuit design, and optical sensor integration
Programming (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB)
Preferred
A master's degree in related field
Benefits
Graduate student health insurance is fully covered by DRI.
The grant-in-aid tuition waiver covers 100% of tuition/per credit costs for up to 12 credits and waives non-resident tuition rates.
Company
Desert Research Institute
Desert Research Institute (DRI) serves as the environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Founded in 1959
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$0.05MKey Investors
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
2025-12-02Grant· $0.05M
Leadership Team
Vic Etyemezian
Vice President For Research
Recent News
2025-07-28
Company data provided by crunchbase