What Your Job Will Be Like
We are seeking a creative, dedicated Postdoctoral Appointee with a real passion for exploring coupled Energy-Water (EW) systems to improve the resilience and reliability of our nation’s critical infrastructure. This Postdoc will assume a key role within a cohesive team that is improving how we integrate models over multiple sectors and multiple scales. You will be responsible for watershed scale modeling of coupled surface water and groundwater dynamics. The successful candidate will integrate work with other sector teams modeling land-use/land-cover change, population dynamics, electric power dispatch and agent based modeling. Additionally, integration will be sought to integrate watershed scale analyses with modeling at the water basin, regional, national and global scales.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Perform groundwater modeling for climate impact study;
- Conduct numerical experiments to investigate the impact of a changing climate and economy on operations of our nation’s water supply infrastructure;
- Integrate results across multiple interacting infrastructure systems and across different scales of analysis;
- Explore adaptive measures for these coupled systems thereby improving the resilience and sustainability of critical lifeline infrastructures;
- Conceive, configure, model, and test alternative model coupling strategies;
- Publish original research in top-tier journals and conference proceedings;
- Deliver results and report findings to co-workers and customers;
- Develop and pursue new opportunities in areas that support Sandia mission activities.
Qualifications We Require
- PhD in Hydrology or Geohydrology, Civil Engineering or related field;
- Expertise with groundwater flow modeling; specifically, simulating the impact of climate on groundwater recharge, surface-groundwater interaction and groundwater yield;
- Proven expertise with MODFLOW or similar groundwater modeling code.
- Strong publication record proven through journal and conference publications;
- Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance.
Qualifications We Desire
- Expertise with reservoir/river routing modeling, evaluating the impacts of various forcings on deliveries to key water users;
- Experience with model coupling groundwater modeling with other physical process models;
- Experience with computer programming languages (e.g. Fortran 2003, Python, and C++);
- Ability to work across subject areas, and to tackle problems in a highly collaborative environment;
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills as needed to work successfully in a team environment;
- Experience building positive relationships with students, customers, and technical staff;
- Experience with data analysis using tools such as MATLAB, R, or Python.
About Our Team
The Energy Water System Integration department works at the intersection of the coupled human (engineered systems) and natural systems to support the security of the nation’s energy water systems. We do this through data modeling and analysis, geo-spatial analysis, hydrology and hydrogeology modeling, climate impact assessments to energy water systems at the watershed scale, risk assessments, and decision support tools.
About Sandia
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible schedules, generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.
Security Clearance
Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
