Research Scientist - Hydroinformatics, Adaptive AI, and Watershed Modeling

Job Description

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech invites applications for a Research Scientist in Hydroinformatics, Adaptive AI, and Watershed Modeling. The successful candidate will join Dr. Siddharth Saksena’s research group (the "FLOODGEEKS") to lead the technical execution and expansion of advanced watershed management frameworks. The primary research mission is to develop next-generation forecasting and nutrient loading estimation engines.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Data Science, Geosciences, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Demonstrated expertise in process-based watershed modeling, hydroinformatics, or water quality simulation.
• Advanced programming skills in Python (specifically for model automation, machine learning pipelines, or geospatial big data processing) and/or R.
• Proven track record of grant writing and contributing to competitive research proposals for federal or state funding agencies.
• Strong peer-reviewed publication record in reputable hydrology, water resources, or environmental modeling journals.
• Excellent communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to present complex computational workflows to engineering and non-engineering audiences alike.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with physics-informed machine learning (PIML), deep learning architectures for time-series forecasting (e.g., LSTMs, Transformers), or adaptive AI agents.
• Experience working with large-scale meteorological forcing datasets (e.g., MRMS, HRRR, climate reanalyses) and satellite-derived surface observations.
• Experience building, documenting, and maintaining open-source toolkits or Python APIs for environmental model automation.
• Demonstrated experience working in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams that directly interface with water resource managers, utilities, or environmental stakeholders.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

Starting at $79,000; commensurate with experience

Hours per week

40

Review Date

6/29/2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a