The Environmental Institute (EI) at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support its interdisciplinary Compound Flooding in Urban Coastal Systems project.

The Postdoc will work with an interdisciplinary team of faculty mentors and researchers with expertise in stochastic flood modeling and atmospheric convection to develop flood frequency and intensity models.

As urban coastal communities face increasing threats of flooding due to increased intense precipitation under climate change and sea level rise, this project aims to study non-stationary flood frequency with attention to the multiple interacting flood drivers (e.g., rainfall, storm surge, and backflow from stormwater pipes).

PhDs in Civil Engineering, Environmental Science or related disciplines who meet the following eligibility criteria are invited to apply.

Eligibility and Selection Process:

General Expectations

Applicants must have received their doctoral degree by the beginning of their appointment; we prefer candidates who have received their degree within five years prior to the start of the appointment.

There is no citizenship requirement. UVA will help sponsor candidate visas covering the duration of the postdoc.

The successful Postdoctoral Research Associate will be appointed for one year with the possibility of second year funding, contingent on the successful completion of a first-year performance evaluation.

Applicants seeking to be considered for the Postdoctoral Research Associate role for this project will be evaluated on three main criteria: the strength of their research. their ability to collaborate across disciplines; and their commitment to diversifying perspectives and voices in finding equitable solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Project-Specific Competencies

The ideal candidate should possess a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Environmental Science or related discipline (by August 2025). Desirable research skills and competencies include:

Expertise in hydrodynamic modeling

Strong background in multivariate statistics, stochastic modeling, and uncertainty analysis

Experience running large-scale simulations on HPC systems

Experience analyzing large, spatiotemporal climate datasets

The EI Postdoc Model

Once selected, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will join a cohort of other Climate Fellows Program postdocs at UVA and will receive professional training, technical support, and computational infrastructure tailored to their project, for two (2) years. The postdoc will receive direct mentoring from at least two UVA faculty members in different disciplines to help them build cross-disciplinary fluency in support of their own research. They will join a network of faculty members from 30 departments in 12 schools across UVA focused on producing research and providing training that is both great and good at the intersection of climate change and human well-being. 

Starting salary: $69,000/year

Research Funds: $5,000/year

We partner with the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, UVA’s Career Center, and staff across the university to provide career development and extracurricular opportunities to student and postdoctoral faculty. 

About the Institute:

The UVA Environmental Institute is the hub of interdisciplinary environmental research at the university. We provide seed funding, research experiences, and training to faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students from the university’s 12 schools. With a focus on impactful research, the Institute and its collaborators are committed to our mission to support interdisciplinary research and training that is both great and good at the intersection of climate change and human well-being, while ensuring that the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, identities, backgrounds, and disciplines is represented and making an explicit effort to diversify voices in finding equitable solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation.

The University of Virginia is rated as one of the top three public universities in the nation and in the top 30 among all universities, public and private. Charlottesville is frequently cited as one of the best cities in which to live and work. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

To Apply: 

External Applicants: Apply online, and search for ‘R0069110.’ Complete an application online and attach the following: 

CV/Resumé 

Cover Letter, describing your research interest and how it aligns with the project.

Personal Statement (highly encouraged but not required): use this statement to reflect on your academic and research trajectory.

Contact information for three (3) references (name, email, telephone, and address). 

Internal UVA Applicants: Please apply through your Workday Home page, search “Find UVA Jobs” and search for R0069110.  

Application Timeline: 

Application Opens: January 22, 2025 

Early application reviews will begin after February 15, 2025 

For questions about the position, please contact Henry Boachi, Program Manager, at henryb@virginia.edu 

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Jessica Speth, Academic Recruiter, at js9rk@virginia.edu

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, and family medical or genetic information.