"Sr. Research Assistant, Information Technology Solutions Center, School of Information Technology"

About the School of Information Technology

The School of Information Technology is a national leader in studying solutions and needs that connect people, information, and the technology of the time. The SoIT (School of Information Technology) is home to Ohio's first Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Information Technology. In addition, it is home to Ohio's first ABET accredited Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. The SoIT has been growing at 15% annually and currently serves more than 1,550 students with 33 full-time faculty members, 38 full-time staff, and 39 adjunct faculty. The SoIT is home to several centers including an NSA/DHS Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, the Information Technology Solutions Center, the Ohio Cyber Range Institute, Applied Machine Learning and Intelligence Center, and the Smart Synergies Lab.

The SoIT is an interdisciplinary, team-oriented, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environment. It empowers individuals to become passionate, solution-minded Information Technology professionals by fostering continuous innovation, research, leadership development, interdisciplinary problem solving, and real-world experience. More information about the school can be found at cech.uc.edu/it.

The Information Technology Solutions Center (ITSC) is a student-run and faculty-led initiative in the SoIT that seeks to investigate and develop innovative information technology (IT) solutions that meet the needs of organizations. Established in 2012, the ITSC engages in more than 20 projects annually through the leadership of the ITSC director, three faculty fellows, one research associate, and 15-20 undergraduate and graduate students each semester. The ITSC works with research centers, small and large businesses as well as state and local government agencies.

Job Overview

The ITSC seeks to hire a Sr. Research Assistant to join its vibrant team and support its ongoing operation.

The Sr. Research Assistant will be responsible for translating system and client needs (analysis and development) into technical solutions by writing software applications, integrating systems, creating, modifying and/or supporting desktop, web-based, mobile, cloud, and virtual applications and application programming interfaces. Reporting to a faculty fellow, the Sr. Research Assistant will support the ITSC DevSecOps activities.
This position is 100% on-site.

Please note that this position is not eligible for H-1B or permanent residency sponsorship. However, candidates with Optional Practical Training with at least 2 years remaining are welcome to apply.

Essential Functions

• Develop and build basic to intermediate IT applications and programs from detailed specifications to meet business requirements.
• Develop software ecosystems, including APIs, backend systems, client interfaces, and frontend or mobile applications, using appropriate architectural approaches (e.g., client-server, distributed, microservices).
• Coordinate teams of student developers using technologies such as Node.JS, React.JS, and database management systems.
• Mentor student workers.
• Lead daily standup and agile sprint meetings to ensure team alignment and progress.
• Review and approve code to maintain quality standards.
• Maintain application software repositories using Git.
• Maintain continuous integration pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions).
• Write documentation including functional specifications and user support materials.
• Assist with researching and implementing best practices in software development.
• Adhere to quality assurance best practices: unit testing, user acceptance testing, code documentation, code reviews, and test case creation.
• Troubleshoot and enhance existing software applications to meet evolving user needs.

Essential Functions (Cont'd)

• Perform routine maintenance and production support to ensure system uptime and reliability.
• Evaluate and supplement vendor documentation for third-party software.
• Work collaboratively with development teams using established software development methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, RAD).
• Follow organizational standards for time tracking, ticket resolution, and relationship management.
• Assist with basic server administration tasks including user access management, service monitoring, system updates, and configuration validation.
• Support the maintenance of development and production environments (e.g., application servers, databases, CI/CD infrastructure) to ensure availability, performance, and security.
• Collect, organize, and maintain technical evidence required for compliance with organizational IT and security policies (e.g., access controls, backup verification, patching records, logging, and monitoring artifacts).
• Assist in documenting and validating security controls and operational procedures in alignment with institutional security standards and compliance requirements.
• Participate in routine security and operational reviews by providing technical artifacts, system documentation, and verification data as requested.

Minimum Requirements

All of the following are required prior to start date:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or related field with coursework in Software Application Development and a minimum GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale in the highest attained degree
• One year of experience, including some or all of the following:
• Software development with Node.JS and React.JS.
• Structured query language with enterprise database management systems such as PostgreSQL.
• Administering software applications on Linux and Windows platforms including tools such as Docker and Git.
• Designing software applications.
• Writing scripts and programs in TypeScript or JavaScript

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Experience with the information technology solutions center or a similar environment.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps and information security compliance.

Application Process

Review of the applications will start as soon as possible until the position is filled. Applicants must submit:

• Cover Letter
• CV/Resume
• At least three references

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Sitting - Continuously
• Repetitive hand motion (such as typing) - Often
• Hearing, listening - Often
• Talking - Often
• Standing - Often
• Walking - Often
• Bending - Often
• Reaching overhead - Often
• Stooping - Seldom
• Kneeling, squatting - Seldom
• Crouching - Seldom
• Lifting - up to 20 pounds - Seldom
• Lifting - up to 50 pounds - Seldom

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. Eligibility varies by position and FTE. Highlights include:

Salary/Hourly Pay Rate Information: $55,000-$60,000

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14?18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary range of $55,000 - $60,000 based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities