University of California, Santa Barbara
1 week ago
Postdoctoral Scholar in Groundwater Science and Policy at University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Barbara in United States
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Data Science
Funding
Salary range is $71,491 to $85,736 at 100% time. The appointment is initially for two years, renewable annually depending on satisfactory performance and continued funding, up to the maximum postdoctoral service allowed by University policy. The position includes support for conference travel and international collaboration.
Deadline
Nov 30, 2026
Country
United States
University
University of California, Santa Barbara
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About this position
Postdoctoral Scholar opportunity in groundwater science and policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, hosted by the Earth Research Institute and the Groundwater Research Hub. The position is centered on research that connects hydrology, hydrogeology, environmental science, civil/environmental engineering, geography, environmental economics/policy, statistics, and data science.
The successful candidate will lead an independent research line on topics such as the physical behavior of aquifers under stress, quantitative evaluation of groundwater management and policy interventions, or the link between groundwater systems and policy outcomes. The Hub works with large observational datasets to study water stress and management responses, and it connects research to decision-makers in state and federal agencies, NGOs, journalists, and international organizations.
This is a 100% appointment with a salary range of $71,491–$85,736. The initial appointment is for two years and may be renewed annually depending on performance and funding. The position also includes support for conference travel and international collaboration, access to groundwater data holdings and staff data scientists, and mentoring toward research independence.
Eligibility requires a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree, or current enrollment in a Ph.D. program at the time of application, in a relevant field such as hydrology, hydrogeology, earth/environmental science, civil/environmental engineering, geography, environmental economics/policy, statistics, or data science. By the start date, the Ph.D. must be completed. Preferred applicants have peer-reviewed publications, programming skills in R/Python/MATLAB, experience with large datasets, groundwater or water resources research, geospatial analysis, reproducible research practices, strong scientific writing, communication skills for non-specialist audiences, and mentoring experience.
Applications are reviewed starting 2026-11-01, with a final deadline of 2026-11-30. Apply via the UC Santa Barbara recruitment portal and submit a CV, cover letter, up to two publications/preprints, and a public code/data repository link. Three references are required at application stage (contact information only); letters are requested later for finalists.
Funding details
Salary range is $71,491 to $85,736 at 100% time. The appointment is initially for two years, renewable annually depending on satisfactory performance and continued funding, up to the maximum postdoctoral service allowed by University policy. The position includes support for conference travel and international collaboration.
What's required
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree, or be enrolled in a Ph.D. or equivalent international degree-granting program at the time of application, in hydrology, hydrogeology, earth or environmental science, civil or environmental engineering, geography, environmental economics or policy, statistics or data science, or a closely related field. By the start date, the Ph.D. or equivalent degree must be conferred and applicants must have sufficient remaining postdoctoral eligibility under University of California policy. Preferred qualifications include peer-reviewed publications showing leadership, fluency in R, Python, or MATLAB, experience with large or heterogeneous datasets, groundwater or water resources research, quantitative policy evaluation, geospatial analysis, reproducible research practices, clear scientific writing, communication to non-specialist audiences, mentoring experience, and ability to work independently in an interdisciplinary team.
How to apply
Apply through the UC Santa Barbara recruitment portal. Submit a CV, a cover letter describing your research to date and proposed direction, and up to two representative publications or preprints plus a link to a public code or data repository. Provide names, affiliations, and email addresses for three references; letters are not required initially.
More information can be found here
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