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Title: Extra Help Summer Mechanical Engineering Research Assistant
Division Name: Academic Affairs
Department: Mechanical Engineering

Job Summary

This position will be trained in solid mechanics, computational physics, machine learning materials science, and mechanical testing of ceramics. They will work closely with other student researchers on an interdisciplinary project to develop novel ceramics.


Duties may include the following:

Read papers and summarize them to their supervisor
Assist on research projects
Perform computational simulations
Write or modify Python code
Data analysis

Additional Information

Benefits include time away from work for eligible employees and the option to participate in the University’s 403(b) Plan.

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$17.00 per hour

Required Qualifications

1. Basic to intermediate experience with Python; including the ability to write scripts for data manipulation and familiarity with scientific libraries like NumPy, SciPy, and Matplotlib.
2. Ability to work effectively within a team environment on technical projects.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Prior exposure to computational simulation tools (e.g., Density Functional Theory (DFT), Molecular Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), or Physics-informed Neural Networks).
2. Introductory knowledge of machine learnings frameworks (such as Scikit-learn, PyTorch, or TensorFlow) in Python.
3. Ability to take initiative on literature reviews and troubleshoot coding errors independently.

Work Hours

20 hours per week; schedule to be determined.

Functional Expectations

Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:
1. Remain at a workstation for extended periods
2. Move about in various locations across campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
3. Effectively communicate on a daily basis.

Proposed Starting Date

June 2026

Optional Applicant Documents

Certification of Retirement Annuity

Please Note: These documents may be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

This position does not qualify for student employment.

Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Extra Help employees may only work up to 28 hours per week for all University employment and are paid for hours worked only. Extra Help employment does not guarantee permanent placement. Extra Help employees may only work up to 900 total hours.

Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois.

Applicants for this position must be authorized to work in the U.S. without ISU sponsorship. Sponsorship for work authorization will not be considered for this position.

Contact Information for Applicants

Mackenzie Chapman
Human Resources
309-438-3092
mrchap1@ilstu.edu 

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.