Postdoctoral Research Associate in Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality

Ames, IA

Full time

Posted Today

R20068

Position Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality

Appointment Type: Post Doc/Trainee

Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities: We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct interdisciplinary research focused on watershed hydrology, agricultural water quality, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in agricultural landscapes. The successful candidate will develop and apply watershed models, deploy and manage environmental monitoring systems, analyze complex datasets, and collaborate with multidisciplinary research teams to advance conservation and water quality solutions. This position offers opportunities to publish in peer-reviewed journals, contribute to proposal development, and engage with stakeholders across academic, governmental, and agricultural sectors.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Hydrology, Water Resources, Environmental Science, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience in watershed hydrology, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), environmental monitoring, agricultural water quality assessment, and the development, calibration, and application of SWAT+ or comparable watershed models.
• Experience with environmental data analysis and scientific programming (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB, SQL, or C++), large-scale environmental datasets, automated data processing and QA/QC procedures, and operation of environmental monitoring instrumentation and data acquisition systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with GIS, remote sensing, geospatial analysis, GNSS/GPS technologies, or watershed-scale environmental modeling.
• Experience with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sample collection, laboratory processing, and analysis of antibiotic resistance indicators.
• Experience integrating environmental monitoring data with machine learning, predictive analytics, or decision-support tools.
• Experience developing dashboards and data visualization platforms using Power BI, Tableau, R Shiny, Dash, Streamlit, or similar tools.
• Demonstrated experience managing large multidisciplinary environmental datasets and conducting advanced statistical, geospatial, and temporal analyses to support peer-reviewed publications, environmental reporting, grant-funded research, and stakeholder engagement.

Department/Program & College Description: The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University advances innovative solutions to challenges involving agriculture, water resources, environmental sustainability, and biological systems. Through interdisciplinary research and collaboration, faculty, staff, and students develop technologies and management practices that improve the quality of life while safeguarding natural resources.

Department Unit/Website: Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering - Graduate College

About Iowa State University: Iowa State University is a welcoming community that focuses on education, research, extension and outreach. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, Ames offers a vibrant campus community and opportunities for students and faculty.

Non-discrimination statement: Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Additional information: General compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. This is a 12-month work period. Post Docs pay grade. This posting is for a January 1, 2027 start date.

Similar Jobs: Posts include various Postdoctoral Research Associate roles at Ames National Laboratory and related positions.

About ISU: Iowa State University emphasizes a strong, collaborative campus community focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. The university supports employees with a range of benefits and work-life options. Applicants with questions about access or requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the university’s HR office.