Undergraduate Research Assistant, Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program

Job Posting Title:

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program

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Hiring Department:

Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

20

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until May 05, 2026

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Location:

PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The Nuclear and Radiation Engineering group of the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering is seeking an Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA) to support ongoing research in data acquisition for the TRIGA reactor. The URA will build, test, and install equipment for the Digital Twin project. The ideal candidate is an undergraduate student at UT who has experience working in industrial facilities installing electronics and has previously worked with power tools. The ideal candidate is a self-starter, a good communicator, and drives their work to completion.

Purpose

The URA will be responsible for installing data acquisition equipment and peripheral hardware and supporting documentation efforts. The URA will work closely with faculty, senior researchers, and other students from the University of Texas (UT), providing an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge research and develop valuable skills for both academic and professional advancement.

Responsibilities

• Documentation (ex: wiring diagrams, component diagrams)

• Installing electronics

• Soldering & crimping components

• Working with hand tools and power tools

• Building, testing, and verifying equipment installation

• Collaborating with faculty, senior researchers, and other students to ensure the successful completion of the project.

Why is this important?

The equipment installed will be used to collect data around and within the TRIGA reactor, which is essential for the success of the Digital Twin project.  This will also support the Smoothing Rod Project and future data acquisition projects.

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate student with 2+ semester completion

• Experience working with electronics

• Experience working with hand tools & power tools

• Comfortable working with minor oversight

• B+ or higher GPA

Preferred Qualifications

• Wiring & line diagram drafting experience

• LabVIEW & Python experience

• Hardware programming experience

Optional Work (based on student’s capabilities):

• Programming and testing the data acquisition equipment

Salary Range

$18 hourly

Working Conditions: 

• In-person

• Research lab environment

• Industrial environment

• Use of manual dexterity

• Work is performed in radiation areas

• Work with fragile and sensitive electronics

What you will learn:

• TRIGA operations at NETL

• Applied research and design work

• Testing and troubleshooting

• 2D CAD for diagrams

• Hardware programming (optional)

Work Shift

10-20 hrs per week.  Approximate Dates: 10/24/2025 to 5/5/26 with option for renewal.  Option for renewal and/or increased workload will be based on project demands and student capabilities. 

Required Materials

•  Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

• Letter of interest

• Class Schedule

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume in the first step of the online job application process. Then, any additional Required Materials will be uploaded in the My Experience section; you can multi-select the additional files or click the Upload button for each file. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find Jobs. Before you apply though, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will need to click the Upload button multiple times in order to attach your Resume, References and any additional Required Materials noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Please make sure you meet all the required qualifications and you can perform all of the essential functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

Students in this position may choose to enroll in the UTSaver voluntary retirement programs.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.