Ecosystems and Hydrology Postdoc
Summary: The Computational Earth Science Group in the Earth and
Environmental Sciences (EES) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory has
an immediate opening for a creative and resourceful postdoc candidate with
substantial knowledge of regional surface hydrology, particularly in
conjunction with climate change impacts, extreme events, and climate-driven
disturbances (such as vegetation stress/mortality, wildfire, and
infestation). The candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
conducting research in Critical Watersheds–watersheds that are vulnerable
to climate change while serving a critical function for society. Successful
applicants will have hydrologic modeling and analytical science expertise in
one (or more) of three core areas of the project:
(1) Modeling hydrological systems with the goal of understanding the
interaction and feedbacks between climate and key physical processes driving
hydrologic/ecohydrologic systems at the regional scale.
(2) Impact of climate change on terrestrial hydro-ecology, including
drought-induced forest mortality and other disruptive events that influence
streamflow responses.
(3) Statistical approaches to analyzing extreme events with a focus on
climate and hydrological extremes such as drought and intense precipitation
events.
Minimum Job Requirements:
Strong theoretical understanding of surface hydrology and climate change
impacts on hydrological systems.
In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience of at least one regional
hydrology model (e.g., VIC, SWAT, SUMMA).
Knowledge of climate model databases (e.g. CMIP5, CESM1 Large Ensemble) and
how to apply climate model projections in hydrological models (i.e.,
downscaling techniques)
Knowledge of climate observations, including temperature, rain and snow data
collections, in point and gridded forms, from across the CONUS region.
Ability to run numerical simulations and models to predict vegetation
dynamics and/or remote sensing techniques to quantify and interpret
vegetation changes.
Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications.
Excellent communication, writing and oral presentation skills.
Desired skills:
Programming skills to handle large data (e.g., Python, JULIA, C/C++/C#, R).
Understanding and ability to work in high-performance computing (HPC)
environments.
Statistical approaches for analyzing extreme climate (e.g., drought) and
hydrologic (e.g., flood) events.
Spatial data analysis, such as geostatistics and GIS.
Education and background: Candidates must have received a hydrology-related
Ph.D. within the last five years or will have completed all Ph.D.
requirements by commencement of appointment. Preferred candidates will have
effective written and oral communication skills, demonstrated ability to
publish peer-reviewed papers, and the ability to work in a diverse and
dynamic team. Work will entail desktop and/or high performance computing,
data synthesis, and model development and application. We anticipate the
candidate to start in or before summer 2016.
Notes to Applicants:
For more information please contact Richard Middleton at rsm@lanl.gov. In
addition to applying on-line, please send a résumé and a short statement
(not to exceed one page) including a short biography (2-3 lines), research
interests, and future career goals to Richard Middleton by March 25th, 2016.
Additional Details:
Position does not require a security clearance.
Candidates may be considered for a Director’s Fellowship and outstanding
candidates may be considered for the prestigious Marie Curie, Richard P.
Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer, or Frederick Reines Fellowships.
For general information about LANL’s postdoctoral program please refer to
http://ift.tt/1kmpmCX
Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports
a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on
qualification and merit, without regards to race, color, national origin,
ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or
preference, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental
disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran,
genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal
laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our
workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide
reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in
the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please
send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.
Located in northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a
multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on
behalf of national security. LANL enhances national security by ensuring
the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing
technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving
problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global
security concerns.
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