We are looking for multiple full-time postdoctoral scholar positions in the fields of watershed science, climate science, data science, artificial intelligence and/or hydro-economics. The broad focus of the positions will be in the analysis of water resources management, agriculture, technology, and climate change in the western US. With a specific effort on California, but also collaborative studies with researchers at Washington State University, Oregon State University, Utah State University, and New Mexico State University. These positions are part of multiple funded research projects, including recently commissioned California Drought Impacts study, the USDA NIFA SAS Securing a Climate Resilient Water Future for Agriculture and Ecosystems through Innovation in Measurement, Management, and Markets (SecureWaterFuture.net), and the USDA NIFA AI Institute for Transforming Workforce and Decision Support (AgAID.org). As such, the successful candidates will work with a diverse team of leading scientists at UC Merced, and their collaborators in California (UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Agriculture & Natural Resources, Public Policy Institute of California, and Environmental Defense Fund), Utah State University, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute, and Washington State University, as well as the regional USDA Southwest Climate Hub. Together, the team of postdoctoral scholars from this recruitment will advance the use of artificial intelligence to support actionable decisions to inform and support a climate resilient water future for agriculture and ecosystems through prediction, optimization and data-enabled decision support. The postdoctoral scholars will be expected to lead development of analytical methods and decision support platform development in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of researchers. The postdoctoral scholars are expected to participate in collaborative science with project partners, to play an important role in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and to undertake professional development activities in consultation with the PIs to further their own training and career advancement. Limited supervisory activities are required, as the scholars will coordinate Student Assistants and junior staff as needed. Limited travel will be required to visit collaborating organizations and to team meetings. Best practices in data and code management, as well as in team science, are expected. Familiarity and expertise in open-source approaches, application programming interfaces, code repositories, and reproducible documentation is also expected.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/SARS-CoV-2_Covid-19. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees should refer to Appendix F, Section II.C. of the policy for applicable deadlines. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.