Hiring Postdoctoral Scholar

October 13, 2021 The  Center for Coastal Studies invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar in coastal hazards working under the advisement of Drs. Robert Weiss (Geosciences) and Jennifer Irish (Civil & Environmental Engineering). The successful candidate will join a vibrant and interdisciplinary group of faculty and students conducting research on a variety of physical aspects of coastal hazards within the transdisciplinary context of disaster resilience. Candidates with expertise in employing computational modeling and/or data science (e.g., Monte Carlo simulation, hazard statistics, machine learning) to coastal hazards problems are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate’s primary responsibilities will be to:

• Conduct research in coastal hazards (80% of time):
  • Lead research on topics mutually agreed upon by the successful candidate and Drs. Weiss and Irish. Lead journal publications related to research outcomes.
  • Contribute to research ongoing in Drs. Weiss and/or Irish’s groups, related for example to storm surge hazard characterization, long-term coastal change, and sediment transport during storms and tsunamis. Contribute to journal publications related to research outcomes.
  • Submit and present research at professional conferences. 
• Collaborate on grant proposals with Drs. Weiss and Irish, as opportunities arise. The successful candidate is also encouraged to explore grant proposal opportunities with the other Center for Coastal Studies affiliates (10% of time).
• Mentor students engaged in Drs. Weiss and Irish’s research groups through participation in group research meetings, coastal hazards seminar, and one-on-one meetings. Collaborate as co-author on student-led manuscripts. The successful candidate is also encouraged to engage in the transdisciplinary Disaster Resilience and Risk Management (DRRM) graduate program through, for example, participation in DRRM seminar (10% of time).

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in engineering, geoscience, applied mathematics, or other related discipline, awarded within the last four years
• Record of research and peer-reviewed journal publication in the area of coastal hazards
• Strong written and oral communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in computational modeling and/or data science
• Experience mentoring students
• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams

Start Date, Duration, and Compensation

This postdoctoral scholar position is anticipated to begin in January 2021 with a duration of two years, where year two support is contingent on successful performance during year one. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications, and funding is available to support conference travel. This postdoctoral scholar position will be housed within Virginia Tech’s Department of Geosciences.

To Apply

Please see the Virginia Tech Jobs posting: https://careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us/job/517844/postdoctoral-associate

Application review will begin October 20, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.