Postdoctoral positions at Penn State University and UC Santa Barbara/Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (CLOSED)

Multi-scale Hydrology and Processes group (MHP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (PSU), jointly with Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) and Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), are seeking two (2) postdoctoral research associates in multi-scale hydrologic and biogeochemical modeling in the tropical Amazon. One position will be based in PSU and will focus on implementing a multi-scale modeling framework based on an existing coupling of the Process-based Adaptive Watershed Simulator (PAWS) and the Community Land Model (CLM). The other position will be based at LBL and will focus on incorporating the modeling system and a multi-scale biogeochemistry component into the high performance Community Earth System Model (CESM) framework. Both research associates will use the modeling system to study the influence of climate change on the interactions between hydrologic and carbon cycles in the Amazon. We look for highly-motivated candidates with strong backgrounds in numerical modeling, hydrology and/or biogeochemistry, and analysis of complex coupled terrestrial ecosystem processes. The applicants should be willing to work across disciplines in a team environment. Familiarity with physically-based hydrologic models, CLM, and/or high performance computing is preferred. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, the scholars will have plenty of opportunities to interact with PSU, LBL, and UCSB personnel. The prospective research associates will get further training and education in high performance computing and land surface modeling. Interested applicants should send their CVs, publications, a list of references, a description of their PhD thesis research, and a statement of research goals (2 pages maximum) to Drs. Chaopeng Shen (cshen@engr.psu.edu, http://water.engr.psu.edu/shen/) and Bill Riley (wjriley@lbl.gov). Contact  Dr. Shen for further questions. The appointment will start preferably in Spring and no later than September 2014. Applications will be reviewed beginning Oct 15th and are accepted until position is filled.  Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.  Penn State and UCSB are committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of their workforces.

Graduate Student opportunities (encore for Fall 2015)

Multi-scale Hydrology and Processes group (MHP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (PSU) is looking for a highly-motivated graduate student to join our group. The successful candidate will apply watershed models to address water quantity / quality issues. The interdisciplinary research topics include interactions between hydrology, vegetation and biogeochemistry, hydrologic scaling issues, impacts of land use and climate change. Applicants must be passionate about scientific research, computation and protecting earth's water resources and environment in general.

Applicants interested in the position should have a BS or MS degree in civil/environmental engineering, geosciences, environmental sciences or related fields like applied maths. The students will receive comprehensive education in broad disciplines including high performance numerical modeling, hydrology, GIS and information technology. The students will also have opportunities to visit and work with other institutions including Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to apply for graduate admissions through Penn State graduate application system (Civil Engineering and specialization in Water Resources), while referring to Dr. Shen in their applications. They are also encouraged to contact Dr. Shen, whose contact info is posted on the home page of this website (http://water.engr.psu.edu/shen).

Skills:

Proficient programming skill in some language (such as FORTRAN or C/C++)
Good background and interest in hydrology, mathematical / computational modeling. Experience in watershed modeling is a plus
Excellent analytical ability and communication skills
Experience in high performance computing is advantageous but not necessary.

Undergraduate trainees welcome

Our group also welcome undergraduate students of various background looking to learn more skills (GIS, programming or quantitative analysis), enhance their job competitiveness, as well as getting research experiences to prepare for graduate school. Undergraduate students are welcome to attend our regular group meetings.