Postdoctoral Associate

Job Description

The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Associate. The overarching goal of the project that supports this position is to create new knowledge and decision-making tools that help conserve scarce groundwater resources while preserving economic activity under institutional constraints. Decision support systems developed through this project will aid stakeholders in formulating optimal multi-year cropping and water allocation strategies under uncertain climatic and market conditions and conflicting objectives. The postdoctoral associate will be responsible for leading the development of an optimization-simulation model that brings together components of agronomy, hydrology, and economics to improve stakeholder decision-making and answer fundamental research questions related to multi-scale decision-making and interventions in human-water systems. The postdoctoral associate will also prepare manuscripts and mentor graduate students. Occasional travel may be required to present research at domestic conferences or to engage with stakeholders at project site.

This one-year position may be extended depending on work performance and projected research needs. Initial screening of applications will begin November 30, 2020. The preferred start date is January 2021 or sooner. The candidate will report to Dr. Landon Marston, who is the PI of this project.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering; Systems Engineering; Agricultural Engineering; Natural Resource Management; Computer Science, or related fields.
• Strong computational background and programming experience with applications in optimization and simulation modeling.
• Exceptional communication skills in oral and written English.
• Experience conducting original research and publishing in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience interacting with diverse stakeholders and working in an interdisciplinary team setting.
• Experience in the development of decision-support systems.
• Experience with Python and high-performance computing.

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

This position is a full-time, benefits-eligible position appointed on a 12-month service basis. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Additional Information

Applicants must apply online through jobs.vt.edu (Job number 514094). Complete applications should include a curriculum vitae with at least three professional references, a one-page summary of your research interest and experience, and up to two relevant publications. Questions may be directed to Landon Marston at lmarston@vt.edu.

The successful candidate must currently reside in the United States.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About the Department

The Charles E. Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is home to 55 tenure and tenure-track faculty members, 350 full-time graduate students, and 625 undergraduate students, making it among the largest CEE departments in the country. Both the graduate and undergraduate programs are consistently ranked in the top 10 CEE programs nationally by US News and World Rankings and ranked among the top 100 civil engineering departments globally.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech’s main campus is located in the vibrant town of Blacksburg, VA, which sits within the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia and is regularly ranked among the country’s best places to live.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Landon Marston at lmarston@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: October 16, 2020
Applications close: