New

Undergraduate Research Assistant in Climate Impacts and Machine Learning_GEOSCI

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Jan 28, 2026
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS The Department of Geoscience is looking for a qualified candidate for an undergraduate research assistant position. Drought is one of the most economically and socially impactful natural hazards, affecting agriculture, water resources, energy systems, ecosystems, and human well being. While many droughts develop gradually over months or years, some emerge much more rapidly. Flash droughts are a type of drought that can intensify within weeks, often leading to significant impacts with little warning. These events remain difficult to study and anticipate because there is no single agreed upon definition or standardized detection approach. In addition, their social, economic, and environmental impacts are not well documented, which limits our ability to assess risk and improve preparedness and response. This research project aims to bridge that gap by combining climate science with machine learning and text analysis. Our team has compiled a unique dataset of approximately 120,000 news articles that reference drought across the United States. These articles contain rich but underused information about how droughts affect agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, and communities. The goal of this project is to help build the first public database focused specifically on flash drought impacts, linking physical climate processes with real world consequences. The undergraduate research assistant will play a central role in this effort. The position involves manually labeling selected sentences from news articles by identifying the type of impact being described, such as effects on agriculture, urban water supply, energy production or ecosystems. These labeled examples are essential for training a machine learning model to recognize and classify impacts automatically across thousands of articles. Through this work, the student will gain hands on experience with applied climate research, data annotation, and the foundations of artificial intelligence used in environmental science. Desired skills and interests Applicants should demonstrate interest or experience in the following areas. Strong reading comprehension and attention to detail, with the ability to carefully interpret short text passages and identify relevant information. Interest in climate science, environmental studies, data science, or related fields. Curiosity about data analysis, machine learning, or artificial intelligence, prior coding experience is welcome but not required. How to apply Interested students should submit the following materials. A brief statement, no more than 300 words, answering the question: How does your previous experience and interests align with the job skills and requirements described above? Current CV or resume. This position is ideal for students who are interested in climate impacts, interdisciplinary research, and learning how data driven and machine learning approaches can be applied to real world environmental challenges. Approx number of hours per week 5 hours per week for 8 weeks Salary per hour, and max allowance (if any). $20 per hour. Start and end date (again approximate is fine) February 9 to April 30 BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here. EEO IS THE LAW Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university's teaching, research, and service mission. 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