Research Scientist - Visual Analytics

*** MUST BE LOCATED IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA REGION *****

Job Purpose/Summary
The Research Scientist, Visual Analytics will plan and lead research efforts in data and information visualization, sensemaking, informatics, and visual analytics, focusing on human-machine interface design for complex decision support and supervisory systems being developed by Knowmadics.

This role will help develop and execute a research agenda in these areas associated with the visual representation of complex datasets (e.g., machine learning outputs, satellite telemetry, radio frequency (RF) signals). This will be accomplished by developing solutions that build on principles of human perception, cognition, and decision making, leading technical discussions with system end users and customers, studying and modeling diverse end user needs in complex systems and operating environments, and coordinating the work of other researchers, designers, and software engineers to implement and evaluate solution concepts on a schedule that aligns to R&D programmatic customer milestones.

Duties and Responsibilities
▪ Conduct research on emerging trends in data visualization, sensemaking, informatics, and visual analytics.
▪ Perform literature reviews and synthesize findings to inform design concepts and research directions.
▪ Develop and prototype static and interactive visualizations for decision support systems.
▪ Design and execute controlled human subjects research studies to evaluate visualization efficacy.
▪ Collaborate with software engineers to ensure that design concepts align with the technical capabilities of the system’s tech stack.
▪ Plan and lead end-user stakeholder feedback sessions to gather insights and refine designs.
▪ Network with researchers and practitioners to identify collaboration opportunities and advance the field of visual analytics.
▪ Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at industry conferences.
▪ Quickly learn and understand various technical domains relevant to Defense R&D, including space domain awareness and electronic warfare.
▪ Work closely with engineers, developers, and project managers to ensure successful integration of data visualization designs into broader system architectures.
▪ Utilize project management tools (e.g., JIRA) to track progress, manage tasks, and collaborate effectively with team members.
▪ Create comprehensive documentation for HMI designs, including design rationale, user feedback analysis, and iteration history.
▪ Present design concepts and prototypes to stakeholders, incorporating feedback to refine and improve interfaces.
▪ Contribute to R&D technical proposals, technical reports, and research publications

Qualifications
▪ Demonstrated ability to apply emerging research concepts to achieve innovative information visualization designs that promote deep system level understanding.
▪ PhD or Masters in Human Factors, Cognitive Systems Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, Information Science, or a related field.
▪ Strong research background in data visualization, visual analytics, sensemaking, or human- machine interfaces.
▪ Experience with designing and prototyping interactive data visualizations.
▪ Familiarity with human subjects research methodologies, including designing and conducting user studies subject to IRB review.
▪ Ability to work with software development teams and understand technical limitations of decision support systems.
▪ Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience in leading user feedback sessions.
▪ Project management experience.
▪ Ability to obtain a US Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications
• Practical experience conducting Work Domain Analyses and applying Ecological Interface Design (EID) methods.
• Proven track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific conferences.
• Strong design aesthetic
• Familiarity with decision support systems or complex data environments (e.g., military, aviation, healthcare).
• Proficiency in relevant programming languages and visualization tools (e.g., D3.js, Tableau, Python).
• Experience with emerging technologies such as machine learning for visualization or augmented reality interfaces.
• Established network of researchers and collaborators in the field of visual analytics or HCI.
• Familiarity with 3D design and visualization tools.
• Prior military experience / service

Working conditions
▪ This position is a fully remote position, but candidates must be based out of Tulsa, OK.
▪ Quarterly travel (typically 1 to 3 day trips) required to conduct user research and participate in field tests.

Physical requirements
▪ Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
▪ Ability to travel as needed.

Direct reports
None

PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN QUESTION 6 SLOT PROVIDED:
A core responsibility of this role will be identifying relevant fundmaental research and presenting insightful pathways to apply it to Knowmadics' research and development programs. To this end, as part of your application process we request that you conduct self-guided research to identify 3 unique peer-reviewed publications that discuss or provide unique methods, approaches, or theories on how to visualize data from machine learning systems in a format that promotes human understanding of the machine learning system's outputs.

PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN QUESTION 7 SLOT PROVIDED:
For each of the three articles you select, please copy and paste a URL to the article and provide a sentence or two summarizing why they selected the article for inclusion.