Post-Doctoral Fellowships / Graduate Research Assistantships
Post-Doctoral Position in Geomorphology, Hydrology, & Hydraulics
PDF Announcement
The Sediment Dynamics Laboratory (SeDLab) and Water Ecosystems and Terrain (WET) Lab at Utah State University in collaboration with the University of Vermont have one fully supported two-year Postdoctoral Fellow position available. Start dates can range from July to the start of the Fall 2024 semester (August) with potential for a later start for qualified candidates. The starting base salary is $60K, however, salary may be negotiable based on Fellow qualifications and obligations. Fellows will have the opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary team working on understanding how high-resolution terrain, geomorphology, and hydraulics can be leveraged to enable more accurate flood inundation forecasts. The postdoctoral fellow will be expected to take on an active role within the SeDLab group dynamic where they will develop their mentorship skills across a variety of projects involving laboratory experiments, fieldwork, GIS and terrain analysis, and sediment transport data synthesis and modeling.
Qualifications:
This postdoctoral fellow position requires:
- PhD in a relevant field attained or to be attained by the time of employment.
- Strong motivation to conduct research at a high level, including leading research projects from ideation to publication.
- Advanced quantitative and data analysis skillsets with a working knowledge of terrain analysis and surface water hydraulic models or a strong desire to learn these skills.
Application:
For consideration or additional information, please contact Colin Phillips and include a copy of your CV/Resume. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
About USU and the Utah Water Research Laboratory:
Utah State University is located in Logan Utah, a rapidly growing midsized city within the picturesque Cache Valley an hour and a half drive from Salt Lake City and a half days drive from eight spectacular national parks. The mountains surrounding Logan offer exceptional access to year-round outdoor activities within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. If your hobbies involve the outdoors, then Logan is a great place to live.
The SeD and WET Labs are a part of the Utah Water Research Laboratory, a large and highly collaborative research center focused on solving water problems within Utah and globally. The Civil & Environmental Engineering department’s Water Program offers an exceptional collection of research expertise with over 10 faculty actively working in water research. Across campus USU boasts a remarkable collection of hydrologists (10) and geomorphologists (7) producing an abundance of exceptional research opportunities.
The SeD & WET Labs welcome people of all races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identifications, sexual orientations, and disability statuses, and we particularly encourage prospective fellows from underrepresented groups to apply. The Utah Water Research Lab provides an academically enriching environment, and we strive to provide a supportive climate so that all members of our group can succeed and thrive.
USU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and we welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
Graduate Research Assistantship in Environmental Engineering
PDF Announcement
The Moor group at the Utah Water Research Laboratory is seeking applicants for a graduate research assistant position in the areas of environmental chemistry and the photochemical fate of organic contaminants. Students will have the opportunity to use laser techniques to elucidate photo-transformation pathways and kinetics. The anticipated start date is summer or fall semester 2024.
Qualifications:
The position is available to students interested in pursuing master’s degrees in environmental engineering. Applicants are sought with backgrounds in environmental engineering, environmental science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or other related fields. Candidates with research experience in photochemistry, with lasers, or with spectroscopy in general are especially encouraged to apply.
Application:
Qualified applicants should send their current CV and unofficial transcript to Prof. Kyle Moor at kyle.moor@usu.edu. Please include a brief statement of interest.
Instructions on how to apply to USU are available at the School of Graduate Studies. An English Proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) may be required for international students. Additional information about USU and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
PhD/Post-Doc Position in Arctic Hydrology
PDF Announcement
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Utah State University (USU) is seeking a PhD student or post-doc to work on a project funded by the Department of Energy. This project will study permafrost hydrological and biogeochemical processes in cold-region watersheds by advancing the state-of-the-art numerical models. The student will apply a model-data integrative approach that combines field data collection and numerical models (i.e., process-based hydrologic models), leveraging the power of high‑performance computing. The project aims to improve understanding of the permafrost flow and reactive transport processes across the hillslope-riparian zone and through river systems. The student will have the opportunity to conduct field work in Alaska and collaborate with researchers from the University of Texas Austin, University of Michigan, and Oakridge National Laboratory. This fully funded position (i.e., Research Assistantship) will remain open until filled. The student is expected to start in Fall 2024.
Qualifications:
- MS/PhD degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering or other closely related fields (such as hydrology, geoscience, and environmental science) at the time the program begins.
- Strong quantitative skills and prior experience in hydrologic modeling (e.g., process-based models) and programming (e.g., Python, R, etc.) are preferred.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Application:
If interested, please send an email to Dr. Bethany Neilson (bethany.neilson@usu.edu) and Dr. Pin Shuai (pin.shuai@usu.edu) with your CV, unofficial transcripts, and a 1-page research statement that briefly discusses how your background aligns with the research project. Read more about the PIs.
Instructions on how to apply to USU are available at the School of Graduate Studies. An English Proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) may be required for international students. Application fees may be waived for highly qualified applicants. Find out more about USU and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering/.
USU's main campus is located in Logan, Utah, a city situated in a picturesque valley that offers numerous year-round outdoor activities including local ski resorts, biking, and hiking trails. Logan is just a short drive to Salt Lake City, as well as many national parks, monumnets, and conservation areas. The Logan metropolitan area has been named the second-best performing small city in the United States by the 2021 Milken Intstitute Analysis.
USU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and we welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
Graduate Research Assistantships – Irrigation
PDF Announcement
The Irrigation group at the Utah Water Research Laboratory is seeking applicants for a graduate research assistant position in the areas of ground and aerial sensor real-time analytics, advanced drone avionics and sensing, and edge and high-performance computing. Students will have the opportunity to be engaged in exciting, cutting-edge research and applications in agriculture, natural systems and urban environments.
Specific study topics:
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Applications of satellite and drone imagery for mapping vegetation water use and stress, soil moisture in agriculture, natural systems, and urban environments.
Contact: Dr. Alfonso Torres-Rua
alfonso.torres@usu.edu -
Development fo advanced drone aircraft (systems avionics, remote sensing) in the USU AggieAir UAS Research Program.
Contact: Dr. Calvin Coopmans
calvin.coopmans@usu.edu -
Quantifying irrigation water use and movement using ground-based sensors and the accessibility of information to a broad range of users.
Contact: Dr. Burdette Barker
burdette.barker@usu.edu -
Advancing understanding of the natural environment by developing new use cases for mobile and optical sensors systems to monitor environmental and agricultural processes.
Contact: Dr. Sierra Young
sierra.young@usu.edu -
High-performance computing and scientific visualization. We develop solutions for real-time analysis and streaming visualizations of large-scale drone data.
Contact: Dr. Steve Petruzza
steve.petruzza@usu.edu
Qualifications:
Positions vary, so contact the appropriate faculty contact to discuss your specific qualifications. We encourage experience in programming, GIS, crop production and water balance.
Application:
Applicants should contact the appropriate faculty to discuss your qualifications. Please include a brief statement of interest.
Instructions on how to apply to USU are available at the School of Graduate Studies. An English Proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) may be required for international students. Additional information about USU and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.