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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Hydrology and Water Resources

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

The University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and Dr. Tiantian Yang's research lab are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Hydrology and Water Resources. The successful candidate will conduct advanced research in hydrologic modeling, flood forecasting, extreme weather, snow observation, soil moisture data analytics, and reservoir/lake system modeling in support of water resources decision-making. This position will work closely with the NOAA Colorado Basin River Forecast Center and other agency partners to improve operational hydrologic modeling systems and decision-support tools for flood and drought risk management. The postdoc will also mentor graduate students, contribute to grant proposal development, engage in agency outreach and partnership activities, publish high-quality research articles, and represent U-M at national professional conferences.

Mission Statement

At the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), we are at the forefront of building a more sustainable and just world for all by transforming the impact of higher education and reimagining the future. We are advancing action through innovation, research, education and engagement in society, and developing leaders who are empowered to halt the climate crisis and create an environmentally sound future for generations to come.

To learn more about SEAS and our values, please visit our website at https://seas.umich.edu/about/seas-values.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

+ Generous time off

+ A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting

+ Many choices for comprehensive health insurance

+ Life insurance

+ Long-term disability coverage

+ Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Responsibilities*

+ Conduct research on operational hydrologic modeling, snow hydrology modeling, snow data collection and analysis, reservoir system modeling, and flood/streamflow forecasting in collaboration with the project's federal partners (e.g., NOAA Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation).

+ Engage in agency reporting, meetings, outreach activities, stakeholder engagement, and new partnership development.

+ Publish peer-reviewed journal articles and present research at national professional conferences.

+ Contribute to grant proposal writing and research project development.

+ Mentor graduate students and provide technical guidance in hydrologic modeling and analysis.

Required Qualifications*

+ A PhD in hydrology, water resources engineering, environmental science, civil engineering, atmospheric sciences, computer science, or a related field is required either at the time of appointment or must be obtained within four months of the start date.

+ Experience with hydrologic model development, implementation, model calibration, and evaluation.

+ Experience with snow observation data, or soil moisture data in support of hydrologic modeling and/or reservoir system modeling.

+ Strong records of journal article publications and conference participation experience

+ Strong programming and computational skills (Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent).

Desired Qualifications*

+ Experience with the National Weather Center and its River Forecast Centers' Community Hydrologic Prediction Systems (CHPS), or experience with one or more of the following hydrologic models, including Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting model (Sac-SMA model), Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC model), Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT model), and/or Noah Land Surface Model with Multi-Parameterization Options (Noah-MP model).

+ Experience in either developing or applying Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools and algorithms to solve hydrology and water resources problems.

+ Familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC), cloud platforms, or GPU clusters.

+ Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams and agency partners.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about thework modes (https://hr.umich.edu/working-u-m/my-employment/ways-we-work-resource-center/ways-we-work-implementation-group/modes-work) .

Additional Information

Salary will be determined based on experience.

Should you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact the sponsoring faculty of this position, Dr. Tiantian Yang, at Dr. Yang's current email [email protected] (primary contact before Dec 31, 2025), with a carbon copy to Dr. Yang's University of Michigan email address [email protected] (primary contact after Jan 1st, 2026).

Term Appointment Language

The initial appointment for this position will be for a one-year term (full-time). This appointment is a limited appointment with the possibility of renewal, subject to performance and funding availability.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Job Detail

Job Opening ID

269302

Working Title

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Hydrology and Water Resources

Job Title

RESEARCH FELLOW

Work Location

Ann Arbor Campus

Ann Arbor, MI

Modes of Work

Hybrid

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

FLSA Status

Exempt

Organizational Group

School Nat Res Envir

Department

Sch for Environ and Sustain

Posting Begin/End Date

10/02/2025 - 1/31/2026

Salary

$60,000.00 - $65,000.00

Career Interest

Research Fellows