Post Doctorate Research Associate- Water Resource Engineer​/Hydrologist

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system;

and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

The Earth Systems Science Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, provides leadership and solutions that advance Earth system opportunities for energy systems and national security. We are a multidisciplinary division connected by a shared commitment to innovate and collaborate towards solving complex problems in the dynamic Earth system.

• Apply domain expertise in hydrology and water resources planning and management to solve complex water and energy related challenges.
• Apply advanced physical, statistical, and machine learning approaches using both commercial-off-the-shelf and custom developed tools.
• Develop technical documents for publication including presentations, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Participate as an active team member on multiple projects.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in Civil Engineering, Hydrology, Geography, Environmental Science, or related technical field, received within the past five years (60 months) or expected within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.
• Hands‑on experience using a programming language (e.g., Python, R, Matlab, or C++) to analyze scientific or model datasets.
• Experience using software packages for hydraulic and/or hydrologic modeling.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience analyzing large observational and model datasets.
• Experience analyzing energy–water interactions, water availability, and scarcity, including the effects of energy infrastructure and data centers on regional water resources.
• Experience assessing how droughts, floods, heat, and other extreme events affect water and energy infrastructure and regional systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, analyze, and interpret large observational, model, and ensemble datasets to support planning and decision‑making.
• Strong communication skills as evidenced by conference presentations, peer‑reviewed publications, and participation in organizational activities and committees.
• Experience working in a team environment, ability to solve problems, and work independently.

Not Applicable

This is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP).

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world‑class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of Integrity, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned…