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Spring 2026 Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant Position in Civil/Structural Engineering at UNLV

A financially supported Ph.D. position is available in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), beginning in the Spring 2026 semester. The selected candidate will conduct research in structural and earthquake engineering, with a specific focus on vibration protective systems such as seismic isolation and damping technologies. This research will involve the design and analysis of structures equipped with these systems, utilizing computer simulations to model structural behavior under dynamic loads such as earthquakes and wind.

Position Details and Expectations

• Funding: The position is supported by a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GA) with a 9-month contract each academic year. Summer support may be available, but it is contingent on funding and performance. Support is subject to maintaining satisfactory performance in research progress.


• Program Duration: The typical duration for completing a PhD in structural engineering at UNLV is 4 to 5 years.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must hold undergraduate and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering or a related field. Experience with structural analytical software such as OpenSees is preferred. Programming skills in MATLAB or Python are desirable. All applicants must have valid GRE scores. International applicants must provide proof of English proficiency. For detailed admission requirements, please visit the PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering program page (https://www.unlv.edu/degree/phd-civil-environmental-engineering).

How to apply

To be considered, please send your CV  to Dr. Shoma Kitayama at shoma.kitayama@unlv.edu. Following this initial contact, candidates must also formally apply for admission to UNLV by the November 15th deadline (or preferably earlier dates) for the spring semester. The formal application can be found on the UNLV Graduate College website (https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/graduate/apply).

About the Supervisor

Dr. Shoma Kitayama is an Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Before joining UNLV, he held academic positions at Brunel University London (as a Lecturer), the University of Leeds (as a Research Fellow), and the University at Buffalo, State University of New York (as a Postdoctoral Associate). At UNLV, he is actively involved in academic research and teaching, delivering undergraduate and graduate structural engineering courses. He supervises PhD students, along with MSc and undergraduate students, on their research projects. His publications are available at the Research Gate website (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shoma-Kitayama) and the Google Scholar website (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gqeU_3MAAAAJ&hl=en).