Research Analyst, Principal - District 1 Lab

Description

IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

Our Mission: Your Safety, Your Mobility, Your Economic Opportunity

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is recruiting for a Research Analyst Principal within the District 1 Lab in the Materials Section. This position is responsible for prioritizing and coordinating the analytical output of a team of Laboratory Technicians and Consultants to address construction material needs across the District. This position will assist in ensuring samples are logged in, tested, analyzed, and reported correctly; and that any non-conformances within the data are identified and addressed before release. This person will provide consultation and laboratory testing to the Materials Team on best methodologies, lab operations and maintenance to adhere to state, federal, regulatory and accreditation guidelines. This position will also liaison with our internal customers to explain the technical topics and provide interpretation of their acceptance testing data results.

This position also reviews and enforces the Central Lab’s Quality Management System (QMS) and Laboratory Operations Manual which outlines Standard Laboratory practices, training/calibration records and documentation of regulatory accreditation proficiency samples. It interfaces with the Central Lab team to ensure that Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), ASSHTO and ASTM accreditations are maintained.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

Coordination and oversight duties:

Coordinates the work of Lab Technicians and Consultants: 

• Ensures that professional and support staff work is accurate, complete, and submitted to the appropriate parties within contract obligated deadlines.
• Trains new hires on laboratory and documentation techniques, and coordinates with district trainers/IAs to solidify and obtain formal certifications, including WAQTC and individual qualifications.
• Responds to staff grievances and complaints. Exercises judgement, discretion, delegation, conflict resolution, professional development, and adaptability to meet individual needs.
• Screens, interviews, and makes hiring recommendations for Technicians and Consultants

 Construction Materials Testing and Report Review

Analyze materials by AASHTO, AMRL, WAQTC and Idaho test methods 

• Create and/or review material reports for accuracy, completion, and unidentified issues before releasing them to Resident Engineers. Ensures that these reports follow guidelines specified within WAQTC, AASHTO, ASTM, State, Federal and other sampling, testing, and reporting standards.
• Reviews and analyzes testing data to determine the accuracy of the data and reports. Compiles data from multiple construction jobs on specified variables for trend review with Material Engineers.
• Handles unexpected occurrences on equipment, testing and reports to ensure compliance with procedural guidelines, and researches opportunities for improvement to prevent a recurrence. 
• Researches and selects information sources for study, which typically includes test methods, material types and construction methods.
• Identifies erroneous or questionable data on acceptance reports and rectifies with Technicians and Consultants to verify and correct if necessary.

• Keeps an open line of communication regarding testing status with Resident Engineers and contractors. 

• Facilitates a partnership of collaboration and transparency within the District Laboratory on development and design of research, coordinates contractor, and district IA visits to witness testing. 
• Makes recommendations to Resident Engineers and Inspectors for how to proceed with project interruptions caused by testing issues and for re-submissions with failing material. 
• Analyzes data and interprets trends for acceptance and dispute resolution reports to ensure that output is consistent with research test methodologies. Explains processes to Resident Engineers and Inspectors for positive construction impacts. 
• Compiles and disseminates test results in formats appropriate to the end-user, when necessary, provides additional Q&A consultation and presentation of material data findings. 

 Quality Management System

Defends the QMS, records and procedural execution to regulatory bodies during on-site inspections. 

• Resolves outstanding AASHTO Re:source and CCRL audit findings satisfactorily to demonstrate adherence to QMS and maintenance of state-wide umbrella certifications.
• Participates in regulatory audits and proficiency sample program with AMRL / AASHTO Re:source and CCRL, resolves low ratings with a root cause analysis. 
• Develops and collaborates written procedures for consistent execution of laboratory and research practices. These methods assure the quality of data collected to include testing techniques, storage, reporting and control mechanisms. 
• Develops documentation to aid in the reporting of field and/or data analysis. 

 Auditing the District Laboratory and Qualifying Consultant Laboratories 

Ensures that Laboratory functions operate safely, that staff training records are up to date, cleanliness is maintained, and procedures are executed correctly.

• Documents observations of areas of improvement in the District Lab and makes an action plan to address. This enhances the yearly management review/audit of the QMS.
• Visits or coordinates visits to Contractor and Consultant laboratories in District 1 and reviews their technical documents and Laboratory practices. Researches their supporting evidence to ensure that they meet ITD expectations for running tests on ITD construction material. Submits supporting documentation to the training unit.

 Equipment Maintenance, Repair and Budget

Ensures that equipment in the Hot Mix Asphalt, Aggregate, and Binder laboratories are calibrated according to defined maintenance/review schedules and documents resolved issues.

• Coordinates the efforts of equipment repairs with Lab Technicians.
• Confers with information technology staff and approves implementation for equipment installation.
• Offers input and researches capital equipment purchases and transactions. 

 Decision Making Authority

• Makes recommendations on accepting or rejecting acceptance test strips, bulk specific gravity reports, and mix designs. Any trends in data or complications in the Laboratory will be noted to the Materials Engineer. Makes recommendations to Resident Engineers and Inspectors on how to move a project forward when the tests indicate failing material. Makes recommendations on equipment purchases, and allocation of the capital budget. Makes recommendations on general Laboratory operations and quality management, reviews the QMS, approaches to calibrations and responses to proficiency data. 

• This position services many customers. Resident Engineers and Project Inspectors expect timely turnaround and consultation of their project submissions for data deliverables. This position’s ability to respond impacts contract specifications. Material Engineers expect quality data throughput and institutional development of quality infrastructure programs such as revisions to the QMS, procedural refinement, specification reform and form maintenance. Contractors expect fair and consistent treatment on their projects, coordination of witnessing testing, status updates on project turnaround and explanations of laboratory practices when the material fails. 

 Problem Solving 

• This candidate will prepare and review reports before submission to the Materials Engineer. This entails researching through a composite of test methods, data and statistical analysis. Issues with the data analysis might not be clearly captured in the technician’s annotations, and this needs to be resolved before release to our internal customers. Identifying these deficiencies is critical because without proper assessment, they can cause broader issues down the line. This is a challenge because the data results are not always expected, the standards to be applied are not clear, and there may be external forces biasing interpretation. 
• This candidate will research specifications and test procedures and then either perform tests or assign tasks to the Lab Technicians to perform tests on construction materials and collect the correct data. This requisite information is scattered across many technical documents such as a QA manual, Laboratory Operations Procedure, Standard Specifications and AASHTO/ASTM/WAQTC procedures. This position will have to act as a technical expert and explain sampling, testing, and reporting policies to a broad audience to ensure consistency across the District. 

Experience that demonstrates considerable knowledge of:

• Modeling and trend analysis and simulation techniques; 
• Research methods;
• Principles of statistics;
• Sampling theory and probability theory.

Experience:

• Planning, developing, and implementing complex research and statistical projects and presenting the results;
• Using and interpreting output of a statistical analysis software package; 
• Writing analytical (research) reports or materials;
• Compiling and analyzing statistical data and drawing conclusions;
• Using statistical software or spreadsheet software to perform statistical analysis;
• Interpreting and communicating (orally and in writing) statistical material into information usable by a target audience.

Additional Qualification:

• Ability to lift 50 pounds; 
• Possession OR ability to obtain WAQTC licensure and Department qualifications; 
• Familiarity with Word and Excel computer applications is required; 
• Experience with materials testing techniques and data analysis, previous work experience in a laboratory or analytical environment; 
• Expertise in Hot Mix Asphalt, Asphalt Binder, Emulsion and Aggregate testing, strongly prefer specific knowledge in Department of Transportation material test procedures;
• Strong knowledge of construction materials testing, highway construction inspection, highway contract administration or project development, prefer minimum of four years related experience; 
• Educational degrees as engineering technicians, the earth sciences, engineering, auditing, mathematics, or statistics may be considered for experience. While this qualification is desirable it is NOT required. 

Benefits:

The State of Idaho offers a robust total compensation package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance; PERSI retirement benefits; paid sick, vacation, and parental leave; and 11 paid holidays per year. For additional information related to benefits and/or State programs, please visit https://dhr.idaho.gov/StateEmployees/Benefits.html.*

EEO/ADA/Veteran:

The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.