Postdoctoral Fellow

Overview

The Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow II or III to join the Water Ecosystems and Terrain (WET) Lab and Sediment Dynamics Lab (SeDLab) to research how high-resolution terrain, geomorphology, and hydraulics can be leveraged to enable more accurate flood inundation forecasts across the continental United States. The position is intended to be for one year, with renewal for a second-year contingent on performance and funding. The successful candidate will be hired at the Postdoctoral Fellow II or III level depending on their qualifications.

 

This position is telework-eligible within the state of Utah.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

Take a leadership role in developing and implementing geomorphically inspired terrain-based approaches to predicting flood inundation, in close collaboration with PIs across the WET (Belize Lane) and SeDLab (Colin Phillips) research groups.

Take a leading role in coordinating project activities across research groups and with external collaborators, including: traveling to primary collaborators research labs (UWRL & University of Alabama), managing project deliverables across researchers, and assisting with year-end reporting requirements.

Prepare one to two lead-author papers for publication related to the project research theme, contribute to additional co-authored publications with members of the research team, and present research results at relevant local and regional conferences.

Provide mentoring for graduate and undergraduate students associated with the project and research groups as applicable.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in relevant field including but not limited to hydrology, geomorphology, hydraulics, water resources or engineering.
• Familiarity with fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, and surface water hydraulic modeling.
• Proficiency in analyzing large geospatial and temporal datasets.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”.

Cover Letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application.

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Salary is commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

The environment and physical requirements may change depending on the specific function of the work each department performs. Incumbents may be in both indoor and outdoor environments. Indoors, in an office space, event space, or public space are protected from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes. Incumbents may nearly continuously sit and often use repetitive hand motion (such as typing).

College/Department Highlights

For more than 50 years, the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) has conducted practical research in the State of Utah, the nation, and the world directed at solving water-related challenges, informing water policy and management, and training the next generation of water experts. As the oldest and one of the largest university-based water research facilities in the United States, we strive to generate the knowledge needed to solve pressing water problems now and in the future.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

 

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

 

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by recent Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships in women’s volleyball, three consecutive Mountain West tournament titles