Research Scientist

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Job Summary

The selected candidate will play a pivotal role in advancing a focused research program aimed at studying land-building processes in the Mississippi River delta restoration project at West Bay, LA. The primary objective of this program is to develop and apply numerical models to investigate sediment transport and morphodynamic evolution in the deltaic environment influenced by engineered structures. This research will provide critical insights into how sediment diversion and flow pathways are affected by man-made structures such as sediment retention enhancement devices (SREDs), and how these interventions can be optimized to promote sustainable delta growth.

Essential Job Duties

• Develops and applies high-resolution numerical models of flow, sediment transport, and morphodynamic processes at the West Bay Mississippi River delta.
• Conducts computational simulations to assess the performance and influence of engineered structures such as SREDs on sediment delivery and land-building efficiency.
• Designs and executes model experiments to explore optimization strategies for SRED placement and configuration.
• Collaborates with research team members to integrate field data, remote sensing observations, and model results.
• Analyzes and evaluates model outputs; interprets results in the context of sediment dynamics and restoration effectiveness.
• Performs sophisticated data analysis and collaborates with research groups on interpreting results.
• Publishes research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presents at professional conferences.
• Contributes to proposal development and report preparation in collaboration with the Principal Investigator.
• Identifies and implements improvements to modeling techniques and computational workflows.
• Engages with interdisciplinary collaborators in geomorphology, hydrodynamics, coastal ecology, and coastal restoration engineering.
• Conducts literature reviews and applies current advances in morphodynamic modeling and optimization theory.
• Co-mentors students or junior researchers in numerical modeling and data analysis techniques.
• References and researches established scientific technical practice standards and/or policies.
• Contributes to writing of scientific results in the form of abstracts, journal articles, and conference presentations.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Geology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or other closely related field.
• Strong background in numerical modeling of hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics.
• Demonstrated proficiency in programming languages such as FORTRAN and Python, with experience in model development and customization.
• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) environments and parallel model implementation.
• Proven ability to design, conduct, and analyze computational experiments addressing complex environmental systems.
• Strong foundation in fluid mechanics, sediment transport theory, and optimization methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven record of research publication.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying morphodynamic models to river delta or coastal restoration projects.
• Familiarity with data assimilation, uncertainty quantification, or optimization algorithms in geophysical modeling.
• Experience integrating field measurements and remote sensing data with numerical model frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead research initiatives and contribute to proposal writing or project coordination.

Required Documents

• Resume