Research Fellow (Hydrodynamic Modelling of Blue Carbon Sediment Dynamics)

National University of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 78,000 - 112,000; Full time

Job summary

National University of Singapore invites applications for a Research Fellow to support Work Package 3 of the MCCS project on Measuring and modelling blue carbon dynamics in Singapore (BlueCarbonSG 2.0). The Fellow will develop physical and numerical models to quantify how hydrodynamic forcing influences sediment transport, carbon retention, and blue carbon accretion in mangrove and seagrass habitats.

The role involves field measurements, data analysis, and model development in collaboration with

Qualifications

• PhD in coastal/environmental engineering or related field.
• Strong background in environmental fluid mechanics, hydrodynamic modelling, sediment transport, and turbulence analysis.
• Experience with coastal field measurements (mangrove, seagrass) is desirable.
• Experience with Delft3D, SWAT or equivalent models.
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop hydrodynamic and sediment transport models for coastal blue carbon habitats (mangrove, seagrass, intertidal, subtidal).
• Conduct field measurements of flow conditions, turbulence, sediment traps, and related parameters.
• Quantify relationships between hydrodynamic forcing and sediment/carbon accretion using field data and models.
• Support development of physically based models to map spatial variation in carbon retention and blue carbon accretion.
• Integrate modelling outputs with broader MCCS datasets (sediment, restoration, remote sensing).
• Prepare technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, presentations and deliverables.
• Collaborate with researchers from NUS and project partners.

Education

PhD in Coastal Engineering / Ocean Engineering / Environmental Engineering / Civil Engineering / Environmental Fluid Mechanics or closely related discipline

Tools

Delft3D

SWAT

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Job Description

This position supports Work Package 3 (WP3) of the MCCS project “Measuring and modelling blue carbon dynamics in Singapore (BlueCarbonSG 2.0)”. The Research Fellow will develop physical and numerical models to quantify how hydrodynamic forcing influences sediment transport, sediment carbon retention, and blue carbon accretion in Singapore’s mangrove and seagrass habitats. The work will involve field measurements, data analysis, and model development, in collaboration with a broader interdisciplinary project team working on sediment dynamics, restoration monitoring, remote sensing, and blue carbon accounting.

The successful candidate will be required to:

• Develop hydrodynamic and sediment transport models for coastal blue carbon habitats, including mangrove, seagrass, intertidal, and adjacent subtidal environments.
• Conduct and analyse field measurements of flow conditions, turbulence, sediment traps, and related environmental parameters in Singapore’s coastal blue carbon habitats.
• Quantify relationships between hydrodynamic intensity, including turbulent kinetic energy, and sediment / carbon accretion using field measurements and modelling data.
• Support the development of physically based models to predict spatial variations in sediment carbon retention and blue carbon accretion capacity across coastal habitats.
• Integrate hydrodynamic modelling outputs with sediment, restoration, and remote sensing datasets generated by the broader MCCS project team.
• Prepare technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and project deliverables.
• Participate in field deployments and collaborate with researchers from NUS, government agencies, and project partners.

Qualifications

• Possess a PhD in Coastal Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong background in environmental fluid mechanics, hydrodynamic modelling, sediment transport, and/or turbulence analysis.
• Experience with coastal, estuarine, mangrove, seagrass, or intertidal field measurements is highly desirable.
• Experience with numerical modelling tools such as Delft3D, SWAT, or equivalent hydrodynamic / sediment transport models will be advantageous.
• Experience with field instrumentation such as acoustic Doppler velocimeters, current meters, turbidity sensors, sediment traps, or related coastal monitoring equipment will be advantageous.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar programming / data-analysis tools.
• Strong publication record and ability to work independently.
• Willingness to participate in field deployments in coastal environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.