Research Technician: Department of Anthropology - UTK
Research Technician: Department of Anthropology - UTK
Knoxville, TN, United States
Job Identification: 2783
Job Category: Research
Posting Date: 05/01/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 1621 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)
Job Description
The University of Tennessee Anthropology Department is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Research Technician for a duration of one year that may be extended depending upon funding. This position will assist the Principle Investigator (PI) with managing a biometric research project.
This role is primarily dedicated to assisting with the management of a large and long-term research project on the postmortem variability of human biometrics. This position will assess how long iris, face and fingerprint biometrics of human donors can be captured throughout decomposition using different biometric sensors. The tasks of this position are to collect daily biometric data at the Anthropology Research Facility on postmortem donors as well as recruit and collect data from living subjects who will eventually become donors. This position is also responsible for managing multiple databases, providing technical expertise for multiple aspects of the project, conducting analyses of the data and delivering monthly technical reports and oral quarterly presentations to the sponsor. This position also conducts research as indicated by the sponsor, including designing field experiments to enhance postmortem data collection, designing surveys for living subjects, examining the effects of aging on biometric capture, and preparing publications and conference presentations.
This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the continued funding of the grant.
Responsibilities
Data Collection and Analysis
- Manage body donation pickups and intakes and collect biometrics for each donor at intake.
- Analyze and interpret intake biometric data to determine donor eligibility for longitudinal study. If enrolled, collect biometric daily using multiple sensors during body decomposition.
- Writes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the postmortem and antemortem biometric data collection.
- Prepare and send image data (EFTs) directly to the sponsor quarterly using secure, password protected hard drives. This requires both manipulation and interpretation of the images to ensure good data is provided to the sponsor.
- Recruit, schedule and collect biometrics of living registered predonors to the Body Donation Program at antemortem data collection events
- Manage multiple databases using Excel or other database software required by the sponsor.
- Prepares reports and analyses
Research and apply procedures that may prolong postmortem biometric viability
- Injecting or applying saline or other liquids to biometric modalities to enable image capture of the iris and fingertips prior to biometric scanning.
- Develop SOPs for each procedure, including safety SOPs given the use of needles
- Analyze the complex data, including image data, environmental data and donor demographics, to statistically assess the impact of the given procedures
- Assess the impact of diet and disease on biometric variability among the living participants using Qualtrics survey data provided.
- Analyze the survey data in conjunction with biometric quality scores derived from multiple biometric sensors
- Examine the effects of aging on biometrics by re-scanning the biometrics of living predonors who provided antemortem images 7+ years ago
- Integrate the demographic and survey data with the quality scores between the initial and later images to assess the variables that affect the aging of iris, face and fingerprint biometrics.
- Prepare reports for the sponsor and make recommendations for additional studies
- Assist PI with publication preparations
- Conduct other biometric studies as recommended by the sponsor in each new contract year
Assist with other research projects or training at the Forensic Anthropology Center
- Assist with other research and training at the Anthropology Research Facility with FAC staff, UT students and external researchers
- Assist with preparing for data collection or short course instruction
- Assist with Anthropology Research Facility maintenance, preparing donor placement areas and processing donors in the laboratory
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Education: A Bachelor's degree in Anthropology or related discipline
- Experience: A minimum of one year of experience with an outdoor decomposition facility is required. This experience can be gained during college through coursework, employment, internships or volunteer work at such a facility.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Knowledge of soft tissue human decomposition, human skeletal anatomy and standard methods in the field of forensic anthropology is required. Ability to organize multiple tasks, write technical reports, and assist with publication preparation is required. Ability to communicate well with diverse community members, including research participants, research sponsor personnel, funeral home professionals, medical examiners and law enforcement is required. Skills include systematic data collection, database management and statistical analysis.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment visa status.
Preferred Qualifications: Skills in experimental design and survey design and analysis are preferred. Knowledge of biometrics is preferred.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Knowledge of biometrics and/or skills in experimental design and survey design and analysis are preferred.
Work Location
- On-site in Knoxville, TN
Compensation and Benefits
- UT market range: 07
- Anticipated hiring range: $21.40/hr - $22.60/hr
- Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
- Find more information on UT Benefits here
Application Instructions
For best consideration applicants should submit the materials below before May 12, 2025:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
About The Department
The Forensic Anthropology Center has a number of research and training resources, including a body donation program, the Anthropology Research Facility and the UTK Donated Skeletal Collection. The mission of the Forensic Anthropology Center is to conduct research to support forensic science, train students and medicolegal professionals in proper forensic anthropological and archaeological techniques, conduct outreach and provide professional forensic anthropology consulting services to medicolegal communities around the world.
About Us
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees-the Volunteers-who uphold the university's tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee's flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy's largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as "Best Employer for New Graduates," "One of America's Best Large Employers," and "Best Workplace for Women," and has been designated as "Best Place for Working Parents" by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
To apply, visit https://fa-ewlq-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/2783/?mode=location
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