Estuarine Biogeochemical / Water Quality Modeler

• Location: Richmond, California
• Program: Clean Water
• Type: Full-time
• Experience Level: Mid level or higher
• Position Type: Permanent
• Salary: $95,500-$103,000

Position Description

• Posted: May 6, 2024
• First review of applications: May 27, 2024

• Application closing date: Position open until filled

The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) seeks a scientist or engineer with expertise in three-dimensional biogeochemical / water quality modeling to join our team of numerical modelers conducting investigations related to nutrient loads, transformations, and ecosystem response in San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta.

Modeling work will support the San Francisco Bay Nutrient Management Strategy (NMS, see http://sfbaynutrients.sfei.org/). The NMS is an overarching plan guiding a multi-year science program studying the impacts of nutrient loads to San Francisco Bay and evaluating potential management actions.

Model development and application will be carried out in collaboration with researchers at USGS, UC Berkeley, Deltares, UC Davis and other academic and research institutions. The successful applicant will collaborate with hydrodynamic and biogeochemical / water quality modelers as well as field scientists within and outside SFEI, and will share responsibility for leading the effort to develop and apply biogeochemical / water quality models in San Francisco Bay.

Primary position responsibilities will include:

• Developing and applying biogeochemical / water quality models, and interpreting simulation results.
• Synthesizing results in reports and peer-reviewed articles.
• Presenting findings to stakeholders and peers.
• Taking an active role in setting program priorities and designing future studies, including fundraising.

• Serving as a scientific and technical resource for other projects both within the NMS and throughout SFEI as a whole.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• PhD with 2 years relevant work experience or a Masters degree with 9 years relevant work experience.

Required Skills

• Experience with estuarine, coastal ocean, or lake modeling is particularly relevant, including working with CE-QUAL-W2, EFDC, FVCOM, SCHISM, SUNTANS, Delft3D-FM, ROMS, or similar.
• Experience with model calibration and validation.
• Experience designing and implementing biogeochemistry and/or water quality modeling studies.
• Although the position is for a biogeochemical / water quality modeler, a strong understanding of hydrodynamics is also necessary.
• Strong analytical and data analysis skills, including time series and spatial analysis and handling 3D time model output using scripting languages (e.g., Python, Matlab).

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including experience communicating scientific findings to a broad audience and working with a broad range of collaborators, managers, and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with estuarine ecology and estuarine physics, e.g., working with tides, tidal dispersion, density stratification, strong horizontal gradients.
• Experience with fundraising, project management, and managing entry and mid-level scientists is not required but is desirable.
• Experience with multiple model platforms is a plus.

• Our team works with Python, Linux, Git, and sometimes Fortran, so prior experience with these is a plus.

In your resume, please explicitly address the required and preferred skills, preferably in bulleted format.

Salary & Benefits highlights:

• This will be an Environmental Scientist II position (position may be at a higher level depending on the experience of the applicant). The anticipated salary range for full time employment is $95,500-$103,000 for an Environmental Scientist II (Bay Area salary ranges are listed; note that salary ranges for other locations are 10-15% lower depending on location and are based on locational salary data). Salary ranges take into account many factors for making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, education, internal equity, and organizational needs. We generally do not offer starting salaries at or near the top of the range.
• Matching contributions to retirement plan (immediate vesting) (403B).
• Medical Insurance: health, vision, dental with employer and employee contributions
• 12 paid holidays.
• Vacation days starting at 3 weeks.

• Hybrid workplace: Most SFEI staff are in the office several days per week, but a fully remote option is possible with approval from management.

About CW

About SFEI

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