Postdoctoral Researcher in Hydrological Modeling
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Posted Jul 25, 2025
- Contact:
- email hidden; JavaScript is required
- Experience Level:
- Entry Level
- Job Category:
- Post-doc
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeks to hire a motivated full-time Postdoctoral
Researcher to conduct hydrological modeling to understand watershed impacts on lake water quality, focusing on Chautauqua Lake and Lake George, New York, USA. The candidate will lead research that uses models to quantify and forecast nutrient and sediment transport from watersheds into lakes, including impacts from weather forcing and extreme events.
The candidate will report to Dr. Kevin Rose and become a member of the research team in the
Jefferson Project, a multi-disciplinary partnership founded as a collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Lake George Association, IBM, and the Chautauqua Institution. The Jefferson Project uses sophisticated technological approaches to study lake, watershed, and atmosphere interactions and dynamics. A goal of the Project is to understand the effects of human activities on freshwater ecosystems and how to mitigate detrimental impacts, with a current research focus on nutrient dynamics and harmful algal blooms.
The candidate will be based either on campus at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, or at Rensselaer’s field station, the Darrin Freshwater Institute, in Bolton Landing, New York. Occasional trips to field sites in Chautauqua Lake, New York, and Lake George, New York, will be expected, as will be collaborating with a range of other research staff and external partners.
Duties:
• Apply numerical models (e.g., SWAT) to simulate watershed processes and streamflow
• Calibrate and validate hydrological models with observations from field sensors and manual
measurements collected by field staff
• Couple numerical models with lake hydrodynamic and weather models to understand lake watershed connections
• Advise and assist field staff in stream and lake sampling to inform model parameterization
• Quantify nutrient loads from watersheds to lakes as a function of the land use, weather
conditions, and other factors
• Lead the analysis of data and submission of manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals
• Present the results of research at conferences and in outreach activities with partner
organizations
• Contribute to research funding proposals
Desired Qualifications:
• PhD in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science or a related field by the time of
hire.
• Experience in data assimilation, computational hydrology modeling, and watershed processes.
• Experience in analyzing model outputs with programming languages such as Python, R and/or
Matlab.
• Experience in handling weather simulation data products (e.g., from WRF) as input to
hydrology modeling
• Familiarity with open-source/community models such as WRF-Hydro and Land Surface Models
(LSMs) such as Noah-MP is desirable
• Experience working within interdisciplinary teams on environmental challenges
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting and writing
Start date: Preferred by September, 2025.
To apply: Please send an email to Project Manager Ms. Jordanne Schwitzgebel at email hidden; JavaScript is required with a single pdf containing a cover letter, CV, a one to two page statement summarizing your research interests, and contact information for three references. Application review will begin August 1, 2025 and continue until the position is filled.
The position comes with a competitive salary and full benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off, and retirement benefits. Salary levels depend on experience as follows: Postdoctoral Research Associate: $ $58,656 - $60,000; Research Associate: $60,000 - $64,000; Research
Scientist: $66,000 - $95,000; Sr. Research Scientist: $80,000 - $138,000. The initial appointment will be for a period of one year, and a position renewal is possible conditional upon satisfactory performance and continued project funding.