Postdoctoral Research Associate in Hydrological and Flood Modeling

[Austin Becker]

All - 

We are looking for a post doc to work on coupling hydrological and storm surge models, as part of our RICHAMP system and our NSF EPSCOR project. The post doc will be housed at Brown, with a visiting appointment at URI. Please share as appropriate! 

Austin

Position Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Hydrological and Flood Modeling

Department: Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University

Location: Providence, RI

Position Type: Full-Time, Fixed-Term (1 year, renewable)

Application Deadline: January 15, 2024

Start Date: February 1, 2024 (or sooner)

Position Description:

The Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Brown University is seeking applicants for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position to advance Hydrological and Flood Modeling research. This position is part of the New England Community-driven Coastal Climate Research and Solutions (3CRS) hub (www.3crs.org). The successful candidate will work under the direction of Brown PIs Prof. Emanuele Di Lorenzo, with support from Prof. Austin Becker (URI Marine Affairs) and Prof. Peter Stempel (Penn State Landscape Architecture), and will also be appointed as a Visiting Scholar in URI’s Department of Marine Affairs.

This postdoctoral position represents a critical opportunity to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time: understanding and mitigating the impacts of natural hazards on coastal communities. As climate change intensifies, coastal regions are increasingly vulnerable to severe weather events, rising sea levels, and changing precipitation patterns, leading to more frequent and devastating floods. Through this research, the postdoctoral researcher will advance their understanding of regional hydrology dynamics, including the interplay between coastal storm surges, riverine flooding, and the impact of land-use changes on hydrological systems, and the integration of social-economic factors into risk assessment models. By advancing hydrological and flood models, this position will contribute significantly to predicting and preparing for these events, ultimately aiding in the development of more resilient infrastructure and adaptive strategies for coastal communities. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist with the development and expansion of the Coastal Hazards Modeling and Prediction System (CHAMP - https://www.richamp.org/), a near-real-time tool assessing natural hazards impacts based on re-analysis and forecast data.
• Develop CHAMP’s capacity to model and ingest inland regional flooding, coupled with ocean storm surge models (e.g. ADCIRC), for predicting the combined hazards of storms for coastal communities.
• Identify suitable regional flood models for CHAMP in various geographical areas (Maine, Rhode Island, Georgia, and Pennsylvania).

• Complete programming tasks to customize ESRI ArcGIS dashboards or perform integrations with the project team, depending on the candidate's specific area of expertise.

Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (e.g., Civil Engineering, Flood Modeling, Hydrology and/or Surface Water Hydrology, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Geosciences, Water Resource Management).
• Familiarity with Python programming.
• Experience with hydrology and flood models (e.g., HEC RAS, PRIMO, or others).
• Some proficiency in GIS, especially ESRI products.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates should submit the following documents by email to Sarah Lummis, Director of 3CRS sarah_...@brown.edu.

• A cover letter explaining your interest in the position and your qualifications.
• A curriculum vitae including a list of publications.
• A brief statement of research interests and goals.

• Contact information for three references.

Brown University is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, and individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Contact Information:

For further information about the position, please contact Prof. Emanuele Di Lorenzo at e.dil...@brown.edu.

Austin Becker, PhD (pronouns: he/him)
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Marine Affairs 

Director, Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience 
University of Rhode Island | Coastal Institute Kingston, Room 206 | 1 Greenhouse Road | Kingston, RI  02881

e: abe...@uri.edu
p: 401-874-4192 
web.uri.edu/abecker 
www.RICHAMP.org

Zoom Room
https://uri-edu.zoom.us/j/4018744192
Dial in: (929) 205-6099 US 
Meeting ID: 401 874 4192

The University of Rhode Island occupies the traditional stomping ground of the Narragansett Nation and the Niantic People.