Research Associate

Job Title

Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Temporary/Casual Staff (Fixed Term)

Job Description

Who we are

The College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts is for students who love to imagine, create, learn, and grow. It’s for those who love to explore new ways of seeing the world and who understand the magic that can happen when beauty and technology merge. Students will gain the practical, real-world skills and theoretical frameworks needed to become leaders in the highly competitive fine arts world of the 21st century. The visual and performing arts are well-established and respected programs at Texas A&M University. They include dancers, directors, computer graphics engineers, composers, art historians, sound technologists—and much more. Effective September 1, 2022, our Dance Science, Performance Studies, and Visualization programs joined forces to combine these strengths with world-renowned Aggie expertise in science, engineering, and technology. What else is ahead? One priority is a new, $175 million, state-of-the-art performing arts building that will also be a hub of engagement, creation, and discovery for future generations of Aggies in the fine arts. Learn more about us and our exciting future at College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts website.

What we want

The Research Associate will support the development and deployment of a research software system for multi-person motion tracking in sports-event videos captured by uncalibrated cameras. The position will focus on integrating computer vision methods for player tracking, mapping movements to field or court coordinates, and developing workflows to support tactical analysis and prediction.

What you need to know

Salary: Will be commensurate based on the selected hire’s education and experience.

Special Note: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended and will help in our review. You may upload them on the application under the CV/Resume section.

Please Note: This position is grant funded; future employment may be contingent upon future funding.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, visualization, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of related experience in specialized and relevant field of research.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with computer vision, multi-object tracking, human motion analysis, or related computational methods.
• Experience developing research software in Python and/or C++.
• Experience with video processing, machine learning frameworks, and tracking algorithm evaluation.
• Familiarity with version control systems such as Git.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of software development and debugging practices.
• Knowledge of computer vision, video analysis, or multi-person tracking.
• Ability to develop and maintain research software.
• Ability to create clear technical documentation and user instructions.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with researchers.
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively.

Responsibilities

Research Software Development and Integration:

• Develop and integrate research code for multi-person detection and tracking in sports-event videos.
• Improve tracking robustness under camera motion, occlusions, and changing viewpoints.
• Test and debug the software using representative sports videos and annotated data.
• Prepare the codebase for use by research collaborators.

Motion Analysis and Workflow Development:

• Develop workflows to map tracked player positions and trajectories to field or court coordinates.
• Develop visualizations and analysis tools for player and team movement patterns.
• Support tactical analysis and prediction of player movements and game situations.

Evaluation, Documentation, and Software Packaging:

• Evaluate tracking and prediction performance on representative sports videos.
• Prepare documentation for software components, configuration, and workflows.
• Create example data, scripts, and usage guides to help collaborators use the software independently.

Our Commitment  

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service. 

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.