"BCAS - Renewable Contract Research Assistant Professor/Associate Professor - 527912"

Position Summary

The Department of Geography and the Environment, in collaboration with the Alabama Water Institute (AWI) and the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), at the University of Alabama (UA) invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track Renewable Contract Research faculty at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in the area of Geospatial Science.

Detailed Position Information

The Department of Geography and the Environment at UA, in collaboration with AWI and CIROH, invites applications for a full-time Geospatial Scientist focusing on Water Resources Science to join our vibrant academic community, with an anticipated start date of January 2026. The successful candidate is expected to bring to UA expertise in areas such as environmental change, hydroinformatics, geographic information systems, remote sensing, urban systems, and human-environment interaction and will join a growing team supporting the UA water research enterprise, the department's diverse water research portfolio, and the translation of CIROH research into operations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Water Center.

The Geospatial Scientist will receive a 12-month appointment (renewable contract) with workload split between the Department of Geography and the Environment and CIROH. The Geospatial Scientist is expected to contribute to the established, high-impact water research enterprise at UA; support and/or oversee research projects, in coordination with CIROH and NOAA/OWP collaborators; assume responsibility for monitoring, assessing, and supporting relevant research projects being led by CIROH researchers; lead and/or make significant contributions to the planning and design of CIROH research proposals and projects; develop, organize, and participate in meetings, discussion sessions, workshops, and seminars related to research project assignments; and assist in short- and long-term planning for relevant areas of the CIROH research portfolio. There is also potential for limited teaching in the Geography or Environmental Science graduate program if mutually desired.

The University of Alabama is the state’s flagship public university and offers a full course of academic programs and social life to its nearly 40,000 students. It is located in Tuscaloosa, AL, a diverse city with a population of more than 115,000, and offers an excellent quality of life with many cultural events and attractions, outdoor activities, and a reasonable cost of living.

The University of Alabama is home to a world-class water research enterprise led by AWI, in partnership with academic departments and affiliated research entities. This enterprise is uniquely strengthened by its co-location with two key federal partners, i.e., the NOAA National Water Center and the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility.

AWI brings together interdisciplinary teams to address the nation’s most pressing water challenges, from floods and droughts to water quality, ecosystem health, and competing resource demands. Its efforts are organized through three research entities that connect discovery to real-world impact: 1. The Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), 2. The Global Water Security Center (GWSC), and 3. The CONSERVE Research Group.

CIROH, a partnership between NOAA and The University of Alabama, is a national consortium committed to advancing water prediction, i.e., the forecasting of streamflow entering water systems, extreme events such as floods and droughts, and water quality, and building community resilience to water-related challenges. CIROH scientists, from 28 different institutions – academic, government, and private – work to improve the understanding of hydrologic processes, operational hydrologic forecasting techniques and workflows, community water modeling, translation of forecasts to actionable products, and use of water predictions in decision making.

Within this expansive water research enterprise, the Department of Geography and the Environment provides unique expertise in the spatial and environmental dimensions of water science. The Department is a vibrant and growing departmental unit with 24 faculty members that share a vision of bettering the world through discovery, application, and communicating knowledge about the environment and interactions between society and Earth’s natural systems. Faculty within the department are at the forefront of research in global hydrology, paleoflood hydrology, and watershed hydrologic modeling. They specialize in understanding the complex dynamics of human-environment interactions and the critical impacts of climate change on water resources. By integrating advanced geospatial techniques with physical and social science, our geographers address everything from historical climate patterns to future water security.

This is a 12-month, full-time, benefits-eligible position with opportunities for professional development.

Minimum Qualifications

• A PhD in Geography or a related field with 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated record of prior research work and a record of impactful scholarly publications in refereed journals.
• Demonstrated proficiency with industry-standard GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS Pro, QGIS).
• Experience with geospatial data analysis and scripting, preferably using Python or R.
• Strong data management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to be credentialed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting research in a university environment.
• Expertise in advanced geospatial topics such as web GIS (ArcGIS Online, Mapbox), cloud computing platforms (AWS, Google Cloud), or machine learning applications for spatial data.
• A record of contribution to research proposals or scholarly publications
• Per NOAA requirements finalists must be a U.S. Citizen or a Green-Card holder that has lived in the U.S. three of the past five years.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application

Applicants should complete the online application at https://careers.ua.edu/jobs/search/AS The application must include: 1. A letter of application outlining your qualifications and interest in the position. 2. A current resume or curriculum vita. 3. Contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the search will continue until the positions are filled. The expected start date of the position is January 2026. Questions about the position can be directed to therrell@ua.edu