Postdoctoral Research Associate

Texas A&M • Houston, TX

15d

About The Position

The Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas (IDRT) in collaboration with the Department of Ocean Engineering and the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to cutting-edge research and projects focused on disaster resilience, coastal engineering, hydrodynamic and morpho dynamic coastal processes, and flood risk reduction. IDRT is dedicated to enhancing disaster resilience by bridging the gap between research and decision-making. Our strategic approach involves conducting research on disaster risk reduction, promoting evidence-based solutions through outreach and technical assistance, and providing decision-makers with decision-support tools, data analytics, and policy solutions. The Department of Ocean Engineering conducts world-class research in offshore and nearshore systems including field, laboratory, and numerical approaches to better understand coastal processes and engineering systems that protect people, property, and infrastructure from storm damage. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the collaboration across this multidisciplinary venture through joint research efforts related to planned storm surge suppression systems along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Requirements

• Doctoral (PhD) degree in Civil, Ocean, Mechanical Engineering or related field with a focus on Coastal Systems, Geotechnical Challenges, Coastal Numerical Modeling, Nearshore Field Data Collection, Hydraulic Engineering, or similar expertise.
• Proficiency and experience in coastal numerical modeling tools such as circulation, flooding, wave and morphodynamic models AND/OR proficiency and experience in coastal field data collection and analysis.
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Ability to positively and professionally interact with clients and staff.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Working knowledge of office software and instructional programs.
• Skilled in utilizing various learning and active listening strategies.
• Ability to orally comprehend and express information and use inductive and deductive reasoning.
• Ability to positively and professionally interact with clients and staff, groups of various sizes.
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

Nice To Haves

• Good understanding of coastal sediment transport dynamics.
• Knowledge and experience in inland and coastal floodplain/watershed hydrodynamics.
• Hydraulics of flood control and storm surge suppression structures (e.g., culverts, pump stations, detention basins, hydraulic gates, surge barriers).
• Experience with field data collection methods such as in-situ infiltration sampling, topographic and bathymetric surveying, acoustic and piezo-electric instruments for current and wave measurements.
• Proficiency in programming languages and data analysis tools such as Python, Matlab, and R.
• Proficiency in GIS software (e.g., ESRI ArcPro).
• Strong written, oral, and visual communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Research- Under general supervision, the post-doctoral researcher is responsible for conducting research and project tasks related to their (or adjacent) field of expertise. This will include data collection, analysis of research data and result summaries. Research and project tasks can cover a range of topics including: Coastal hydrodynamic and morpho dynamic numerical modeling. Field data collection and analysis of nearshore dynamics. Design and analysis of flood control infrastructure. Nature-based flood mitigation solutions. Flood risk and hazard analytics. Watershed and floodplain assessment. Flood forecasting and warning systems.
• Mentoring- Assist, mentor, and/or supervise student researchers and/or graduate students who are working on related research or project efforts.
• Presentations / Publications- Present research outcomes to small and/or large groups. Actively participate in the preparation of required technical progress reports to research sponsors. Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatically enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time
• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more
• Employee Tuition Assistance and Educational Release time for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees