Student Research Assistant | Watershed Studies Program

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University is dedicated to inspiring research, leadership, and innovation that ensures clean, abundant water for the environment and all humanity. The Meadows Center fulfills its mission by integrating activities across four pillars of action in powerful ways. Our work in each of these pillars begins at Spring Lake – one of the largest artesian springs in the world – and ripples outward across Texas and beyond. 

The Meadows Center is seeking a student research assistant to support the Watershed Studies Program with data analysis and research related to water and environmental systems. This position will assist the program’s team in tasks involving data management, statistical analysis, and research support for ongoing projects focused on watershed and water quality studies. 

General Description 

The Student Research Assistant will work closely with the Water Resource Coordinator and other members of the Watershed Studies Program. The primary responsibilities include cleaning, validating, and organizing environmental datasets, assisting with statistical analysis of water quality and climate data, and conducting literature reviews to support technical reports and publications. 
This position provides an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience with real world environmental data and contribute to applied water research at the Meadows Center. 

Schedule  

Applicants must be available for 10-20 hours per week between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a minimum of 4-hour blocks per scheduled shift. 
Morning or afternoon shifts are preferred depending on project needs. 

Students are expected to work approximately 10-20 hours per week, depending on workload and academic schedule. 
Employees are required to communicate any schedule changes in advance and maintain consistent availability during the semester. 

Remote work may be approved occasionally, depending on project assignments and supervisor approval. However, the primary workstation is located at Spring Lake Hall.  

Job Requirements  

Strong ability to work with and analyze environmental datasets, including data cleaning, validation, and visualization. Familiarity with statistical methods and attention to detail are essential. 

Working knowledge of Python or R for data processing, analysis, and visualization.  

Self-motivated, organized, and able to work both independently and collaboratively. Must be enrolled in 6 hours at TXST  

Job Duties  

Support data cleaning, organization, and validation for environmental and water quality datasets. 

Assist with statistical analysis and help identify trends and patterns in hydrologic and climate data. 

Use Python or R to process and visualize data; create charts, figures, or dashboards for reports and presentations. 

Conduct literature reviews and summarize findings for research deliverables and manuscripts. 

Collaborate with team members to ensure accurate data documentation and consistent file management. 

Contribute meaningfully to ongoing research projects through independent and team-based work. 

Perform other research-related tasks as assigned by the supervisor. 

Qualifications 

Familiarity with water, environmental, or climate science concepts 

Foundational knowledge of statistics, data analytics, and quantitative methods 

Working knowledge of Python or R for data cleaning, analysis, and visualization 

Proficiency with Excel for organizing and summarizing data 

Strong attention to detail and the ability to document and manage datasets systematically 

Strong writing skills for preparing reports and summaries 

Additional Preferred Skills 

Familiarity with machine learning models 

Experience working with climate change datasets  

Familiarity with remote sensing data and tools 

Demonstrated programming experience in Python or R is highly preferred. 

Preferred Academic Background 

Graduate student or advanced undergraduate in Geography, Environmental Science, Aquatic Resources, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Data Analytics and Information Systems, or other related fields at Texas State University 

Location 

Please note our location: http://www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu/About/Contact-Us.html. Students driving their vehicle to work must have a Texas State parking permit. Students without a vehicle must have a reliable method of getting to work. Students may utilize the Bobcat Shuttle Route 23 - Post Road. The bus stop is located at the main entrance of The Meadows Center.  

Employee Evaluation Process 

Employees will be evaluated on their work output and ethics. Employees will be required to attend all scheduled shifts unless prior communication has been made with their direct supervisor.  All employees are required to follow university policy and procedures. 

Pay Rate Determination  

Starting pay begins at $11-14/hour. Experience may result in a higher rate if deemed appropriate by the Watershed Studies Program.  

Direct Supervisor  

This position is directly supervised by the Water Resource Coordinator of the Watershed Studies Program.