Post Doctoral Associate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UVM

Position Details

Advertising/Posting Title Post Doctoral Associate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UVM Posting Summary

Join a vibrant research community at the University of Vermont as a Postdoctoral Scholar. UVM is an R1 research university guided by Our Common Ground values that prioritizes transdisciplinary research and collaboration as a strategy for continued strengthening of scientific inquiry and education. Burlington is a vibrant community located on the shores of Lake Champlain, between the Adirondack and Green Mountains.

With year-round recreational opportunities, safe neighborhoods and excellent schools, this progressive community has been frequently cited as being one of the healthiest and best cities in the US in which to live.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will play a key role in advancing NSF AQUA-CLIME convergence research under the supervision and mentorship of Dr. Raju Badireddy in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The position involves laboratory- and field-oriented research focused on developing and deploying novel low-cost microsensors to investigate how climate-driven disturbances- including flooding, droughts, and wildfires- affect the water quality across diverse hydroclimatic conditions, ranging from humid to arid regions.

The project align with our institution's vision to pursue world-class research develop leaders in science and engineering, fostering transdisciplinary collaboration and impactful discoveries.

Research Objectives:
The project tests two central hypotheses: (1) that flood, droughts, and wildfires generate substantially different nutrient and emerging contaminant sources, sinks, and transport pathways compared to similar events in other seasons; and (2) that increasingly frequent floods alter watershed function in ways that reduce nutrient retention and other contaminants. Research will build on previous work on developing low-cost nutrient electrochemical microsensors and will leverage two to three heavily instrumented Vermont watersheds spanning a range of land uses, with particular emphasis on how export pathways and processes vary seasonally.

Responsibilities: A central component of this work involves both laboratory and field validation of novel microsensors, which will be deployed alongside standard in-stream sensors and transitional grab-sampling methods. The Scholar will develop proficiency in operating a broad range of high-frequency sensing platforms and in analyzing large environmental datasets to generate insights into watershed functioning under changing climate scenarios.

Qualifications:

The candidates must have a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering or related field by the start date and demonstrate expertise in fabricating and testing microsensors for environmental contaminants in water and soil systems. Specifically, the position seeks candidates with a strong background in environmental engineering, electrochemistry, material science, environmental nanotechnology, and electronics focusing on in-situ chemical and physical sensing technologies, as is proficiency in advanced statistical analysis- particularly in R or similar- for interpreting large environmental datasets.

Ideal candidates will have a robust publication record, experience with interdisciplinary projects, and a proven ability to foster inter-institutional collaborations. Additionally, they will have experience guiding undergraduate and graduate students on transformative research and high-impact journal publications, with a commitment to education, outreach, and collaborations. The candidate will have ability to effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Research Community:
The successful candidate will join our cutting-edge, transdisciplinary research community (35 plus members from Vermont, South Dakota, and New Mexico) working across sensor development and distributed sensor networks, climate modeling, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. The position also offers meaningful engagement with academic, industry, farming communities and Native Americans Communities across three jurisdictions:
Vermont, South Dakota, and New Mexico.

Appointment:
This is a one-year position with the possibility of a one-year extension contingent on satisfactory progress. The annual salary is competitive and commensurate with federal agency guidelines, accompanied by an excellent benefits (https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).). The position provides opportunities for professional development, including media and communications training. The expected start date is August 1, 2026.

Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience)

The candidates must have a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering or related field by the start date and demonstrate expertise in fabricating and testing microsensors for environmental contaminants in water and soil systems. Specifically, the position seeks candidates with a strong…