Research Assistant

Design, develop, and maintain a weather and water impacts geospatial dashboard that integrates real-time LSM station observations, expansion station data, and regional model output

· Implement water-focused dashboard components highlighting current and forecasted drought conditions, soil moisture saturation levels, and short- and long-term flood risk areas across the Lower Mississippi River basin region

· Incorporate regional model forecast output into the dashboard to provide short- and medium-term outlooks on evolving drought or flooding threats

· Develop and integrate severe and hazardous weather impact layers into the dashboard using regional model output, identifying when and where significant weather threats may occur in the short- and medium-term forecast periods

· Collaborate with the LSM team to build and maintain the backend infrastructure linking the dashboard to geospatial data streams from LSM stations and regional model output, ensuring reliable, near-real-time data ingestion and display

· Develop and maintain a dedicated project webpage to host the impacts dashboard and associated documentation

· Collaborate with the mesonet team, partners, and stakeholders to refine dashboard products based on end-user needs, ensuring that impacts-based information supports timely and appropriate decision-making

· Any other duties as needed at the request of the Mesonet Executive Director

· Masters or Doctoral degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline

· Experience developing geospatial or data-driven web applications, including interactive mapping or dashboard tools (e.g., Leaflet, Mapbox, ArcGIS Online, or similar frameworks)

· Demonstrated ability to work with and visualize large environmental datasets, including weather observations, gridded model output, and soil or hydrological data

· Familiarity with weather and water impacts communication, including experience interpreting or presenting data in the context of drought, flooding, or other high-impact weather events

· Experience with backend web development and data pipeline construction, including linking live data feeds to front-end visualization tools

· Strong problem-solving skills, ability to work in a collaborative environment, and a desire to learn new technologies are a must

· Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to convey complex weather and water information to non-expert audiences

· A record of high-quality, peer-reviewed publications

· Proficiency in the computer programming necessary for data processing, geospatial analysis, and dashboard development (e.g., Python, JavaScript, or equivalent)

· Ability to work a flexible schedule

To apply please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and a completed ULM application for employment.

Interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Todd Murphy at murphy@ulm.edu before submitting a full application

Salary : $75,000