Hydrologist

Overview

Lynker is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Hydrologist to serve as Lead, supporting Lynker government contracts, and our Lynker consulting team.  As a senior technical authority on site, you will spearhead the experimental implementation of forecast systems, transforming mature research into operational protocols. You will act as a primary architect for bridging the gap between scientific innovation and real-time flood forecasting, while also mentoring junior staff and influencing future R&D directions through the Operations-to-Research (O2R) feedback loop.

Support & Collaboration:

 

The Hydrologist selected will also be backed by a robust support network. You will have direct access to the technical resources and subject matter experts at Lynker. This ensures you have the institutional backing, data access, and collaborative power needed to succeed in our high-visibility initiatives.  The ideal Hydrologist for this position will be situated somewhere on the East Coast.  This work is contingent on finalization and approval of an upcoming contract modification.

Responsibilities

Duties of the Hydrologist selected will include the following:

Strategic Leadership & Implementation

• Spearhead Initiatives: Lead the design, testing, and operational deployment ofadvanced hydrologic models and forecasting techniques.
• Strategic Liaison: Serve as the authoritative liaison between researchers, Lynkermanagement, and client leadership; successfully negotiate and align researchcapabilities with operational constraints.
• Model Architecture & Integration: Oversee the technical integration of new modelingsystems into forecasting systems, ensuring robustness and reliability for critical public safety forecasts.
• Advanced Analysis: Direct high-level data analysis and visualization efforts to validatemodel performance, ensemble forecast generation, and reservoir inflow predictions.

 

Mentorship & Technical Oversight

• Technical Mentorship: Act as a subject matter expert and mentor to junior hydrologistsand forecasting staff, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.
• Workflow Optimization: Evaluate existing operational workflows and author recommendations for modernization that enhance efficiency and forecast accuracy.
• Publishing & Thought Leadership: Lead the preparation of high-impact annual scientific reports and peer-reviewed journal articles; represent the project as a keynote or primary presenter at national scientific conferences.

 

Qualifications

The Hydrologist selected should have the following:

 

• Education & Experience:
• A Ph.D. in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Atmospheric Science, or a relateddiscipline, and 3+ years of experience; OR
• A Master’s Degree in a related discipline with at least 7+ years of specializedprofessional experience in operational hydrology or hydrologic modeling.
• Operational Systems Expertise: Deep technical proficiency with operational forecastingsystems and hydrologic modeling suites (e.g., SAC-SMA, HEFS, physically-basedmodels).
• Advanced Technical Skills: Expert-level capability in programming (Python, R) and datamanagement for large-scale hydrologic datasets.
• Leadership capability: Proven track record of leading complex technical projects,managing stakeholder relationships, and driving consensus across multi-agency teams.

 

The Ideal Hydrologist selected will have the following:

 

• Ensemble Forecasting: Extensive experience with hydrologic ensemble forecast services (HEFS), probabilistic verification, and risk-based decision support tools.
• Software Engineering: Familiarity with modern software development practices (versioncontrol, containerization) to streamline model deployment.
• Mentoring Experience: Demonstrated success in supervising or mentoring junior scientists, with specific examples of guiding professional development.