Post-Doctoral Scholar: Hydrologic Connectivity and Watershed Resilience

Colorado State University, United States

Updated: 4 months ago
Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO
Deadline: 08 Dec 2022

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title Post-Doctoral Scholar: Hydrologic Connectivity and Watershed Resilience
Position Location Fort Collins, CO
Is this position eligible for hybrid or remote work?
Research Professional Position Yes
Posting Number 202201685AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Postdoctoral Fellows
Number of Vacancies
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range 55,000 - 60,000
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University (CSU) is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas: https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ & https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ .
Desired Start Date 07/01/2023
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 12/08/2022
Description of Work Unit
The CEE Department at CSU is recognized both nationally and internationally for its education, research, and service and outreach programs, and is ranked in the top 40 of such programs in the USA. The CEE Department consists of 36 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 16 research scientists/scholars, 27 research associates, and 11 administrative professionals. Additional information about the CEE Department can be found at http://www.engr.colostate.edu/ce/.
Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately 157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000 foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.
Position Summary
River-floodplain systems connect headwaters and headwater-dependent social-ecological systems and provide numerous important ecological services. These systems are increasingly being fragmented due to land and hydrologic alterations. Loss of connectivity, in turn, affects floodplain function, ecosystem services, and community resilience. New large-scale datasets representing human impacts to rivers and floodplains (e.g., see https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01566-1) and high-resolution remotely sensed data provide opportunities to evaluate loss of river-floodplain connectivity, reductions in river and floodplain process, and subsequent loss of resiliency throughout river corridors. This position will support research to understand:
  • Where human stressors are most concentrated in river-floodplain systems.
  • the degree to which these stressors cause loss of river-floodplain connectivity, trajectories of altered floodplain processes, and loss of natural resiliency to disturbances.
  • Spatial alignment of community preferences for enhancing ecosystem services, with a particular emphasis on river systems throughout the Intermountain West.


    • This position will support a post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University as part of the Transformation Network (TN) and National Science Foundation award 2115169. The TN aims to build resilient communities and ecosystems throughout the Intermountain Western United States through partnerships between eight Western U.S. universities and over 50 organizations representing Tribal partners, governmental and non-governmental organizations, public utilities, conservation districts, irrigation districts, and municipalities. This position will provide professional development opportunities associated with the TN project, such as linkages with a wide network of junior and senior scientists and the chance to engage in transdisciplinary activities.
    Required Job Qualifications
    • PhD degree in civil/environmental engineering, fluvial geomorphology, watershed hydrology, or related discipline by position start date
    • Experience with hydraulic (e.g., FaSTMECH, SRH-2D, HEC-RAS 2D, Iber) or hydrologic (e.g., RAPID, LISFLOOD-FP) modeling
    • Experience working with time series data across large spatial scales that represent fluvial processes (e.g., USGS streamflow and sediment data)
    • Proficiency in oral and written  communication
    • The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. by the proposed start date. Civil and Environmental Engineering will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.
    Preferred Job Qualifications
    • Experience or strong interest in collaborating with social scientists and engineers
    • Experience or strong interest in collaborating with watershed managers, coalitions, and other partners
    • Experience with Python and R programming, geographic information systems (GIS), remotely sensed data, and open-source coding environments.
    Diversity Statement
    Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

    Essential Duties


    Job Duty Category Data Management
    Duty/Responsibility
    Prepare, retrieve, and organize data.
    Percentage Of Time 20%
    Job Duty Category Modeling
    Duty/Responsibility
    Develop and apply models; model calibration, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis; analyze results.
    Percentage Of Time 50%
    Job Duty Category Reporting / Publication
    Duty/Responsibility
    Support project reporting requirements; prepare and submit peer-reviewed publications.
    Percentage Of Time 20%
    Job Duty Category Project Coordination
    Duty/Responsibility
    Coordinate with other project postdocs and researchers to support project management and integration activities.
    Percentage Of Time 10%

    Application Details


    Special Instructions to Applicants
    Interested applicants must submit a cover letter which addresses how professional experiences align with identified required and preferred qualifications of the position, a current resume or CV, and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references.
    References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
    Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License
    Search Contact Dr. Ryan Morrison ryan.morrison@colostate.edu
    EEO Statement
    Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
    The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu .
    The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
    The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, oeo@colostate.edu .
    Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
    Background Check Policy Statement
    Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

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