Postdoctoral Research Associate

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:

August 21, 2025

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

306-YN_FACULTY - Postdoctoral Research Associate

Business Title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Employee Type:

Faculty (+) (Fixed Term)

Position Term:

12 Month

Position Details:

Job Description Summary:

Washington State University’s Agroecosystems Modeling group seeks applications for a postdoctoral associate with interest in evaluating climate change impacts and adaptation alternatives for US agriculture and water resources. The position will be based in Pullman, WA with the Department of Biological Systems Engineering but involves participation in national-scale projects. The position offers the opportunity for all-around professional growth by working in a trans-disciplinary environment, with close collaborations with colleagues from multiple universities across the US, spanning multiple colleges/departments. Opportunities to network with a diverse group of stakeholders will also be available. The experience will focus on research advancements as well translation of research to practice to make a meaningful impact.

Summary of Duties:

Develop/apply models that help better understand and manage for weather/climate related risks for agriculture (with an emphasis on specialty crops) and water resources management. Assimilate remotely-sensed data into models and decision support frameworks. Explore visualization and communication mechanisms that enhance utility of information for a diverse stakeholder group including producers, ag professionals, and federal/state/local agencies.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Civil/Environmental/Agricultural/BioSystems Engineering, Applied Math/Statistics, or related field

• Prior work at the intersection of climate, agriculture, and natural resources management

• Prior work assimilating satellite imagery  data into models

• Experience with the Linux operating system, high-performance computing, cloud computing, and parallel programming paradigms

• Strong publication record in reputable avenues

• Strong writing skills

• Strong skills in model development, data analytics, machine learning, and visualization

• Proficient in platforms/tools/languages such as  Python, Matlab, QGIS, Google Earth Engine, version-control, C++ processing large datasets

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with transdisciplinary work in close engagement with experts from multiple disciplines

• A good understanding of the US irrigated agricultural settings 

• Research experience with extreme weather impacts assessments

• Prior Experience with modeling for crop variety selection

• Prior experience with grant writing

Additional Information:

Area/College:

College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS)

Department Name:

Biological Systems Engineering

City, State, Zip:

Pullman, WA, 99164-6120

Department Link:

https://bsyse.wsu.edu/

Departmental Lab Link:

https://bsyse.wsu.edu/people/faculty/wsu-profile/kirtir/

Annual Salary:

$70,000.00 - $75,000.00

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

WSU offers a compre