The Trustworthy Environmental Architecture Lab (TEAL) at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is seeking to fill PhD and Postdoc positions for Spring or Fall 2024. Housed at the Klesse College of Engineering and Design, TEAL is jointly affiliated with the School of Architecture and Planning and the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management. The Lab aims to advance knowledge on the design and operation of buildings. The Lab's research centers on the convergence of architectural engineering and machine learning. It places special emphasis on the trustworthiness of sustainable solutions, a crucial factor influencing the market's adoption of environmental architecture. We believe that trustworthy environmental architecture should be equipped with the following core attributes: (1) performance, (2) reliability, (3) interpretability, and (4) security. Hence, research at TEAL is devoted to quantifying the trustworthiness of current environmental architecture practices.

The Lab is seeking a postdoctoral scholar with a strong drive for leading projects and exploring novel ideas. Your research will mainly focus on the performance and security attributes of trustworthy environmental architecture. You will explore the tradeoff between the accuracy of energy consumption predictions and the severity of invasion of the occupants' privacy. In addition, you will develop solutions that alleviate the concerns related to sharing occupants' data, in particular, synthesizing information that significantly improve the accuracy of predictions.

As a postdoc, you will lead research and collaborate in projects, contribute to grant applications and funding proposals, mentor graduate students, and publish research findings. Advising and mentoring PhD students are essential components of this role. A basic understanding of unsupervised and self-supervised machine learning is a plus, and the willingness to educate on the topic is crucial. The lab will provide financial support for enrolling in courses related to machine learning. This is a two-year appointment with NIH funding rates. The ideal postdoc candidate possesses:

- A PhD degree (or near to completion) in architectural engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, architecture or relevant fields;

- A track record of high-quality research;

- Strong programming and computational skills;

- Excellent communication, leadership, and collaborative abilities;

- A strong interest in an academic career;

- A passion for slow science and impactful research.

The Lab offers

- A stimulating and supportive research environment at an R1 institute;

- Access to cutting-edge GPU accelerators at the Lab;

- Comprehensive funding including tuition waivers, stipends, laptops, conference travel support, and financial support for enrolling in relevant training courses;

- Financial support for visiting and collaborating with international research institutions;

- Mentorship and opportunities for international networking.

Application materials

Please upload the following documents in a single PDF file. There is an upload limit of 10 MB.

- A cover letter (one page max);

- A recent CV;

- A statement of research interests (one page max);

- Name and contact information of two references.

Deadline

All applications submitted by September 30 2023 will be given full consideration. We look forward to receiving your application.

EO/AA Statement

At TEAL, we believe in fostering a culture in which academic diversity is celebrated. Our goal is to create a Lab culture that promotes a sense of belonging for every team member.

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. UTSA campuses are accessible to persons with disabilities.