The term Graduate Assistant is the umbrella term that encompasses all types of GA appointments. Graduate Assistants are employed by the University to teach, conduct research, or assist with administrative duties in departments and non-academic units. Every attempt is made to assign Graduate Assistants to positions that are directly related to the student's field of study or that provide the opportunity to develop transferable, professional skills. Graduate Assistantships are assigned in the department or unit and confirmed by the Graduate School.

An NSF-funded archeology project (Title: A network approach to Magdalenian social landscapes) seeks a GA. The project will use Social Network Analysis to examine the distribution of objects of personal ornamentation at the end of the last Ice Age in western and central Europe, ~18,000 to 12,000 years ago. This time period, referred to as the Magdalenian, witnessed both a rapid expansion of human populations from core areas after the last Ice Age and the creation and circulation of an unprecedented abundance and diversity of engraved artifacts. The research team, which includes archaeologists, paleoclimatologists, and computer scientists from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Arizona State University, and Histria Cultural Resource Consulting, will (1) assemble a database of ~200 digital images of these engraved artifacts; (2) construct an open-access, web-based application that uses machine learning and clustering algorithms to identify stylistic patterns among the digital representations of the artifacts; and (3) develop custom plugins for an open-source Social Network Analysis platform to produce visual representations of, and quantitative descriptors for, Magdalenian social networks at multiple scales. Ultimately, the project will explore how geography, environmental uncertainty, population density, and social cooperation/competition influenced how Magdalenian peoples used material culture to construct social networks and navigate the rapidly changing environments of post-glacial Europe.

GA Responsibilities
*Design and implement social network analysis algorithms (e.g., clustering and connectivity analysis) based on the extracted features of the artifact images.
*Maintain project data and materials on a server
*Develop and maintain the project's website and troubleshoot for website users
*Write technical reports and academic papers based on project data
*Present project results at professional conferences
*Collaborate with the faculty and students in the research group
*Other duties as assigned

Time Commitment
The position will begin in Spring of 2022. Beginning Spring of 2022 and running through Fall of 2023, the time commitment will be 20 hours/week (including the 2022 and 2023 summer sessions). Specific working hours will be determined in coordination with the Principal Investigators of the project.

Compensation*
The position will be compensated $12,000 per academic year and $3,000 for each of the 2022 and 2023 summer sessions for a total of $15,000 per year. The position will also receive a tuition waiver.

*Compensation is contingent on final approval from NSF, which is fully expected to occur.

To be eligible for appointments as a graduate assistant, you must:
*Maintain academic good standing at all times (3.0).
*Be enrolled full-time, which is generally a minimum of 9 credits.
*Make satisfactory progress toward your degree as defined by your academic program and the Graduate School.
*Meet the requirements to be eligible for employment in the U.S.

To be eligible for appointments as a GA, you must:
*Apply and be admitted to the MS Program in Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (https://compsci.uncg.edu/graduate/general-information/)

Skills and Qualifications
*Well-developed programming skills
*Excellent oral and written communication skills
*Familiarity with Social Network Analysis preferred
*Undergraduate degree in anthropology, archaeology, or sociology preferred
*Research experience preferred

Documents
Required Documents for the MS Program in Computer Science
*Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
*Evidence of English proficiency for non-native English speakers

Additional Documents for the GA Position
*CV/Resume
*Letter of interest
*Contact information for three references

Deadline
All application materials must be submitted by July 1, 2021.

Contact Information
For questions regarding admission to the MS Program in Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, please contact Dr. Shan Suthaharan (s_suthah@uncg.edu). For questions regarding the GA position, please contact the project PI, Dr. Charles Egeland (cpegelan@uncg.edu)