AI in Food Science, Research Assistant

Overview

The pay rate for this position is $22.00 per hour depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

 

The successful candidate will collaborate within a multidisciplinary team, contributing domain knowledge and technical expertise to develop, implement, and maintain artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models and applications. This role involves working across the data pipeline—from data acquisition and preprocessing to model development and evaluation—while supporting broader analytical needs within the team. The position requires strong problem-solving skills, attention to data quality, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.

 

Responsibilities

Please list 5 or more job responsibilities here (95%)

Data Acquisition and Management

• Develop and implement automated data extraction pipelines from structured and unstructured data sources (e.g., databases, APIs, web scraping).
• Ensure data integrity, consistency, and proper documentation of data sources and workflows.
• Maintain and update datasets to support ongoing model development and analysis.

Data Cleaning and Pre-processing

• Perform data cleaning, transformation, and normalization to prepare datasets for analysis and modeling.
• Handle missing, inconsistent, or noisy data using appropriate statistical and computational methods.
• Engineer and select relevant features to improve model performance.

Machine Learning Model Development

• Design, build, and optimize machine learning and statistical models for predictive and/or descriptive tasks.
• Select appropriate algorithms based on problem type, data characteristics, and performance requirements.
• Conduct hyperparameter tuning and model optimization.

Model Evaluation and Validation

• Evaluate model performance using appropriate metrics (e.g., accuracy, precision/recall, RMSE, AUC).
• Perform cross-validation and robustness checks to ensure generalizability.
• Document model assumptions, limitations, and performance outcomes.

Data Analysis and Insight Generation

• Conduct exploratory data analysis (EDA) to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies.
• Generate visualizations and summaries to communicate findings effectively.
• Support decision-making by translating analytical results into actionable insights.

Collaboration and Team Support

• Work closely with team members, including domain experts and stakeholders, to understand project requirements and objectives.
• Assist with ad hoc data analysis requests and contribute to ongoing research or product development efforts.
• Participate in team meetings, code reviews, and documentation practices.

Documentation and Reproducibility

• Maintain clear and comprehensive documentation of data pipelines, modeling processes, and analytical workflows.
• Ensure reproducibility of analyses and models through version control and best practices.

Other Duties as assigned (5%)

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

None

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior experience in developing end-to-end machine learning pipelines or applications.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Domain knowledge relevant to the team’s focus area.

 

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.  
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. 
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), S