Post Doctoral New Mexico State University

VS-Postdoc; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

VS-Postdoc in Las Cruces, NM invites a Post Doctoral researcher to develop a process-based model to upscale tower flux data to watersheds, advancing understanding of forest-dryland interactions under climate change and management impacts.

Responsibilities include using CLM with ParFlow, integrating forest management into vegetation models, and evaluating water and carbon fluxes with Python, Bash, R and GEE; work requires Windows/Linux proficiency.

Qualifications

• PhD in hydrology, Earth science, or related field.
• Experience: not required.
• Proficiency in Python, Bash and R.
• Ability to use CLM for land surface modeling.
• Experience with GEE and Windows/Linux environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop a CLM-based model to upscale tower data to watersheds.
• Integrate historic forest management into vegetation models.
• Use CLM with ParFlow to evaluate water and carbon fluxes.
• Develop a dryland plant functional type.
• Create scenario-based analyses for forest management and hazards.
• Analyze simple hydrologic models like HEC-HMS and SWAT.

Skills

Python

Bash

R

GEE

Windows

Linux

CLM

Land surface modelling

Education

PhD in hydrology or Earth science

Tools

Community Land Model (CLM)

Job description

Post Doctoral

Las Cruces, NM

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Develop a process‑based model to upscale tower flux data to watersheds with the main goal of improving our understanding of the feedback between forests in dryland ecosystems and the combined effects of climate change and management impacts. This will be achieved by:

• using CLM to upscale tower observations to the watershed and improve model representations of dryland ecosystems, including forested watersheds;
• integrating historic forest management into improved dynamic vegetation models to evaluate impacts on watershed structure and function;
• using CLM, coupled with ParFlow, to evaluate water and carbon fluxes over the dominant watersheds by improving the representation of land surface heterogeneity, including fractional cover, woody canopy structure, and LAI to account for the phenological cycle;
• developing a dryland‑specific plant functional type;
• developing a scenario‑based analysis to examine watershed responses to forest management and natural hazards; and
• analyzing other simple hydrologic models such as HEC‑HMS and SWAT.

Deliverables: New CLM parametrization with improved water and carbon fluxes for NM Top 500 forested watersheds, including soil moisture, streamflow, sediment load, and groundwater recharge.

Qualifications

• Required Education: Doctorate degree in a related field (PhD in hydrology, Earth Science, or related discipline).
• Required Experience: None.
• Required Skills: Knowledge about land surface modeling specifically Community Land Model (CLM); programming skills using Python, Bash, and R; ability to use cloud computing tools such as GEE; ability to use both Windows and Linux systems.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Moderate exposure to unusual elements such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises.

Physical Effort: Light physical effort; does not exceed two (2) hours per day. Requires handling average‑weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: Work environment involves some exposure to hazards or physical risks, requiring following basic safety precautions.