Hydrologist

Lynker is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Hydrologist to serve as Lead, supporting Lynker government contracts and our consulting team. As a senior technical authority on site, you will spearhead the experimental implementation of forecast systems, transforming mature research into operational protocols. You will act as a primary architect for bridging the gap between scientific innovation and real-time flood forecasting, while also mentoring junior staff and influencing future R&D directions through the Operations-to-Research (O2R) feedback loop.

The Hydrologist selected will also be backed by a robust support network. You will have direct access to the technical resources and subject matter experts at Lynker, ensuring you have the institutional backing, data access, and collaborative power needed to succeed in our high-visibility initiatives. The ideal Hydrologist for this position will be situated somewhere on the East Coast. This work is contingent on finalization and approval of an upcoming contract modification.

• Spearhead Initiatives – Lead the design, testing, and operational deployment of advanced hydrologic models and forecasting techniques.
• Strategic Liaison – Serve as the authoritative liaison between researchers, Lynker management, and client leadership; successfully negotiate and align research capabilities with operational constraints.
• Model Architecture & Integration – Oversee the technical integration of new modeling systems into forecasting systems, ensuring robustness and reliability for critical public safety forecasts.
• Advanced Analysis – Direct high-level data analysis and visualization efforts to validate model performance, ensemble forecast generation, and reservoir inflow predictions.

• Technical Mentorship – Act as a subject matter expert and mentor to junior hydrologists and forecasting staff, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.
• Workflow Optimization – Evaluate existing operational workflows and author recommendations for modernization that enhance efficiency and forecast accuracy.
• Publishing & Thought Leadership – Lead the preparation of high-impact annual scientific reports and peer-reviewed journal articles; represent the project as a keynote or primary presenter at national scientific conferences.

• Education & Experience
  • A Ph.D. in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Atmospheric Science, or a related discipline, and 3+ years of experience; OR
  • A Master’s Degree in a related discipline with at least 7+ years of specialized professional experience in operational hydrology or hydrologic modeling.
• Operational Systems Expertise – Deep technical proficiency with operational forecasting systems and hydrologic modeling suites (e.g., SAC‑SMA, HEFS, physically-based models).
• Advanced Technical Skills – Expert-level capability in programming (Python, R) and data management for large-scale hydrologic datasets.
• Leadership capability – Proven track record of leading complex technical projects, managing stakeholder relationships, and driving consensus across multi-agency teams.

• Ensemble Forecasting – Extensive experience with hydrologic ensemble forecast services (HEFS), probabilistic verification, and risk-based decision support tools.
• Software Engineering – Familiarity with modern software development practices (version control, containerization) to streamline model deployment.
• Mentoring Experience – Demonstrated success in supervising or mentoring junior scientists, with specific examples of guiding professional development.

Lynker is a growing, employee‑owned business, specializing in professional, scientific and technical services. Our continually expanding team combines scientific expertise with mature, results‑driven processes and tools to achieve technically sound, cost effective solutions in hydrology/water sciences, geospatial analysis, information technology, resource management, conservation, and management and business process improvement. We focus on putting the right people in the right place…