Operational Hydrologist

Overview

Support & Collaboration: While this role is embedded at the NWS, you will be backed by a robust support network. You will have direct access to the technical resources and subject matter experts at Lynker, regular collaboration with CW3E researchers, and a peer in Lynker’s embedded hydrologist at the Northwest RFC. Lynker program management will support you with planning, progress tracking, and coordination across Lynker, CW3E, CIROH, and NOAA. This ensures you have the institutional backing, data access, and collaborative power needed to succeed in this high-visibility R2O initiative.

Responsibilities

Duties of the Operational Hydrologist will include the following:

 

R2O Implementation & Research

· R2O Implementation: Lead the design, testing, and experimental implementation of FIRO decision-support tools and other advanced hydrologic models and forecasting techniques within the SERFC operational environment.

· Model Development & Testing: Conduct hydrologic research, including model development, calibration, testing, and verification; assist with software testing and implementation, and experiment with new models at the local level.

· Operational Integration: Support the integration of new tools and workflows with the NWS Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS), with attention to the robustness and reliability required for public safety forecasts.

· Analysis & Verification: Analyze and visualize data to evaluate model performance, ensemble forecasts, and reservoir inflow predictions, including during tropical cyclones and other high-impact events.

 

Collaboration & Operations-to-Research

· Liaison: Serve as the liaison between CIROH, CW3E, Lynker, and SERFC to ensure effective integration of research into operations, and of operations into research.

· Regional Insight: Develop in-depth knowledge of Southeast hydrology and partner needs, including reservoir operations, and bring those insights back to FIRO researchers to guide future research and development.

· Workflow Improvement: Evaluate existing operational workflows and recommend improvements that enhance efficiency and forecast accuracy.

Communication & Publishing

· Presentations: Present forecasts and research findings to stakeholders and at national scientific conferences.

· Publications: Lead or contribute to annual scientific reports and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Qualifications

The Operational Hydrologist selected should have the following:

 

· Education & Experience:

o A Ph.D. in Hydrology, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Atmospheric Science, or a related discipline (recent graduates are encouraged to apply); OR

o A Master’s degree in a related discipline and 2+ years of professional experience in hydrology, hydrologic modeling, or hydrometeorology.

· Hydrologic Modeling: Hands-on experience with hydrologic models (e.g., SAC-SMA, the National Water Model, or other conceptual or physically based models) and a solid understanding of hydrologic forecasting concepts.

· Technical Skills: Proficiency in Python or R for scientific programming and the analysis of large hydrologic and meteorological datasets.

· Communication & Collaboration: Strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with forecasters, researchers, and partners across multiple organizations.

 

The Ideal Hydrologist selected will have the following:

· FIRO & Reservoir Operations: Experience with Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations, reservoir operations, or similar water management decision-support approaches.

· Operational Forecasting: Familiarity with NWS operational forecasting systems, such as CHPS and the Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast Service (HEFS).

· Ensemble Forecasting: Experience with ensemble forecasts, probabilistic verification, or risk-based decision support.

· Southeast Hydrometeorology: Knowledge of hydrometeorological hazards common to the Southeast, such as tropical cyclones, coastal and compound flooding, and extreme rainfall; or experience with atmospheric river research.

· Software Engineering: Familiarity with modern software development practices (version control, containerization) to streamline model deployment.

· Research Record: Peer-reviewed publications or presentations at scientific conferences.