USDA-ARS Semiarid Rainfall-Runoff Modeling Time Fellowship

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA-ARS-PWA-

6/19/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

The USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center in Tucson, Arizona develops knowledge and technology for sound management of water, plants, and soil in semiarid regions. The core outdoor laboratory is the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, a 150 km² research site around Tombstone, Arizona, and additional small experimental watersheds on the Santa Rita Experimental Range. Long‑term hydrologic datasets are used to understand rainfall‑runoff relationships and to test how changes in plant community and land cover affect those relationships, using Landsat imagery from 1986 to the present.

Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will learn all aspects of rainfall‑runoff dataset collection and quality control, compare rainfall‑runoff relationships through time for individual storms, and parameterize a detailed physically‑based simulation model (Kineros2) to best fit observed runoff measurements. The goal is to assess how varying precipitation gauge locations, digital elevation model resolution, soils (SSURGO/STATSGO), and land‑use/cover characteristics influence model input and processes.

Philip Heilman (phil.heilman)

Anticipated start date:
June 1, 2026 (flexible). The appointment is full‑time, initially one year with possible renewal contingent on funding.

$60,000 – $63,000 annually, commensurate with educational level and experience.

Open to U.S. citizens only.

Participants are not employees of USDA, ARS, DOE, or the program administrator. No employment‑related benefits are provided. Proof of health insurance is required; health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

• Master's degree in a relevant field received within the past two years.
• Discipline:
  Environmental and Marine Sciences, Hydrologic Sciences, and Natural Resources.
• U.S. citizenship.

• Hands‑on experience with hydrologic data collection, particularly in the Southwest.
• Programming in Python.
• GIS tools proficiency.

Janeen