Postdoctoral Research Associate in Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality

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
Application Instructions:
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Letter of Application/Cover Letter
Why Choose Iowa State University?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:
Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
Life insurance and long-term disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Various voluntary benefits and discounts
Employee Assistance Program
Wellbeing program
Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Proposed Start Date:January 1, 2027
Number of Months Employed Per Year:12 Month Work Period
Time Type:Full time
Pay Grade:Post Docs
Original Posting Date:October 12, 2026
Posting Close Date:October 18, 2026
Job Requisition Number:R20068
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 Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu.
General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.