Job DescriptionMust meet agency inoffice requirements Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications GENERAL DESCRIPTION The Coastal Hydrologist primarily serves to develop, maintain, and apply hydrologic and hydraulic models of inland and coastal watersheds to inform environmental flow studies
, drought science, and water resources planning, and oil spill response, with only occasional assistance on topics related to flood science and planning .
Performs highly complex (seniorlevel) hydrologic and hydraulic data analysis and modeling work in support of environmental flow analyses, drought or flood science, water resources planning, and oil spill response, with only occasional assistance on topics related to flood science and planning. Work involves developing and applying hydrologic and hydraulic models and advancing program activities in estimating rainfallrunoff and streamflow but also may support studies of geomorphology and sediment transport. Assists in the planning, execution, and summary of scientific studies, including assistance with field data collection. Serves as a liaison at public meetings. Provides technical support to stakeholders and scientific committees and communicates analyses and results to general and technical audiences. May provide leadership in technical areas. May train others. Works under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Reports to the Manager of the Coastal Science Department.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - Develops, maintains, and applies hydrologic and hydraulic models of inland and coastal watersheds to inform environmental flow studies, drought science, and water resources planning, and oil spill response, with only occasional assistance on topics related to flood science and planning.
- Seeks to improve estimates of watershed hydrology for practical applications to water resources planning.
- Acquires and processes input data for various models, including precipitation, flow, bathymetry, land use, soil characteristics, and other environmental datasets.
- Calibrates, evaluates, and applies rainfallrunoff models (e.g., Texas RainfallRunoff model, HECHMS, National Water Model, SWAT, etc.).
- Conducts statistical, graphical, and geospatial analyses to support model validation and to detect spatial/temporal patterns.
- Generates, maintains, and updates the coastal hydrology database of freshwater inflow estimates to Texas estuaries, including obtaining, processing, conducting quality assurance/quality control, and version control of data, as well as implementing new/improved methods.
- Supports Oil Spill Prevention and Response by developing, testing, and implementing nearreal time estimates of modeled streamflow from ungauged watersheds to advance oil spill trajectory modeling.
- Plans and executes scientific studies to improve the representation of key hydrological components in modeling and analyses.
- Investigates and pursues new approaches to determine sediment transport and geomorphic conditions in Texas waters.
- Writes, executes, and maintains the Python, Linux, and ArcGIS programs and scripts.
- Writes, reviews, and evaluates technical memos, reports, work process, and policy documents.
- Provides presentations and informational material to technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Assists with field studies, including planning, onsite work, equipment installation, data acquisition, and data management.
- Serves as liaison and provides technical support and information to stakeholder groups, scientific committees, and customers.
- Seeks and supports opportunities to collaborate with academia, consulting firms, federal and state agencies, and other stakeholders to improve coastal hydrology datasets.
- Coordinates with data scientists and analysts within the division to integrate modeled data and visualizations into Water for Texas Data.
- Writes, reviews, and evaluates technical memos, reports, work processes, and policy documents.
- Coordinates with internal and external partners to develop and implement modeling studies and analyses.
- Plans and participates in field studies, including planning, on site work, equipment installation, data acquisition, and data management.
- Serves as liaison and provides data, models, information, and technical support to stakeholder groups, scientific committees, and customers.
- Serves as contract manager for modeling, research, and monitoring contracts.
- Coordinates with other staff to post updates of data, model output, and technical memos to agency websites.
- Maintains confidential and sensitive information.
- Ensures individual and team files (electronic and hard versions) are appropriately maintained and timely disposed of in accordance with the agency's records retention procedures and schedule.
- Maintains required certifications and licenses and meets the continuing education needs and requirements of the position to include, attending mandatory training courses.
- May be required to operate a state or personal vehicle for business purposes.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Graduation from an accredited fouryear college or university with a bachelor's degree in Hydrology, Engineering, Physical Science, or a related field.
- Five years of demonstrated work experience developing and applying hydrologic and hydraulic models to inform environmental flow studies, drought or flood science, and water resources planning.
- Experience developing, modifying, and running hydrologic and hydraulic models (e.g., HECHMS, HECRAS, SWAT, or similar).
- Experience programming in Python.
- Relevant education and experience can be substituted for each other on a yearforyear basis.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Graduate degree, or working toward completion of a graduate degree, from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Hydrology, Engineering, Physical Science, or a related field with emphasis in hydrology, hydraulics, or surface water resources.
- Experience conducting geospatial analysis of environmental and hydrologic data, using GIS software or programming tools (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS, Python, R).
- Experience with command line work flows and shell scripting (e.g., Unix/Linux, Windows PowerShell).
- Experience running models on highperformance computing systems, including parallel computing (e.g., MPI or OpenMP).
- Experience processing, analyzing, interpreting, and displaying large scientific datasets using numerical or visualization tools.
- Experience connecting hydrological studies to water quality, ecological, or environmental studies or assessments in estuarine systems along (or similar to) the Texas Coast.
- Experience with remote sensing or geomorphology.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs) - Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws and regulations relevant to the Surface Water Division.
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.
- Knowledge of environmental flows and water resources management in Texas.
- Knowledge of the practical application of scientific, engineering, statistical, modeling, and hydrologic principles, as well as hydraulics, water quality, and water resources or environmental flows management, as applied to watersheds and bay systems.
- Knowledge of data quality assurance/quality control and relevant modeling and statistical procedures.
- Skills in using Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Access.
- Skills in use of internet, email, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software.
- Skills in developing, applying, or running hydrologic and hydraulic models (e.g., TxRR, HECHMS, HECRAS, SWAT) or other computational/numerical models.
- Skills in programming and scripting languages, especially Python, and in collaborative coding workflows such as GitHub.
- Skills in statistical and/or spatial data analysis techniques (e.g., QGIS and ArcGIS).
- Skills in running models on highperformance computing systems, including parallel computing (e.g., MPI or OpenMP).
- Skills in using numerical/visualization tools (e.g., SciPy/NumPy, Matplotlib, Gnuplot).
- Skills in project management and grant/contract administration, including timemanagement and prioritization.
- Skills in scientific data collection, management, and interpretation, including that of modeled or statistical data.
- Skills in writing technical memos, reports, work process, and policy documents.
- Skills in critical thinking.
- Ability to maintain the security or integrity of critical infrastructure within Texas.
- Ability to meet agency inoffice requirements.
- Ability to adhere to work schedules, follow procedures with respect to leave and submit accurate timesheets by prescribed deadlines.
- Ability to make mature, objective decisions and identify areas of potential problems.
- Ability to perform effectively and willingly when changes occur in scope and nature of the work and work environment.
- Ability to perform routine and nonroutine work assignments accurately and ontime with little or no supervision.
- Ability to perform assigned duties and improve work habits and/or output.
- Ability to complete assigned work, on time, neatly and with infrequent errors.
- Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Ability to provide prompt, courteous and accurate assistance and clear and concise communication to internal and external stakeholders both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to work and cooperate with others in a team environment.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks.
- Ability to stand/sit/move to perform activities such as retrieve/replace files in a large file system for boxes up to 30 lbs.
- Ability and willingness to travel 5% of the time, primarily within the State of Texas.
- Ability to operate a vehicle (state or personal) for state business and maintain a driver's license and driving record that complies with state and agency requirements.
- Ability to work shifts that may exceed 8 hours, including early mornings, nights, and weekends.
- Ability to train others.
REMARKS - A copy of required academic transcripts and/or licensures and driving record must be submitted at the time of hire. Failure to provide required documentation will result in no further consideration for employment.
- Important Notice: Otherwise qualified candidates who are ultimately considered for potential employment with the Texas Water Development Board may be the subject of a request for any criminal history record information maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Evidence of a criminal conviction or other relevant information obtained from the DPS shall not automatically disqualify an individual from employment with the Texas Water Development Board.
APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH WORK IN TEXAS - Work In Texas (WIT) applicants must complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the posting. To complete the supplemental questions please go to CAPPS Recruit to register or login and access your profile.
REFERENCE CHECKS - Reference checks will be conducted on top candidate for the position and may include outreach to current and/or former supervisors. Reference checks for top candidates currently employed by the TWDB will include outreach to current supervisors.
CONSENT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS - All interviewed candidates must complete the HR101 Consent to Obtain Criminal History Record Information and the GA48 Consent form to obtain continuous criminal history and review forms once extended an offer to interview. The consent forms will be sent by Human Resources (HR) and retained with HR. Only candidates extended a conditional offer will have their criminal history checked in the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) system. Candidates who refuse to complete both consent forms will no longer be considered for the vacancy with the Texas Water Development Board. If adverse findings are found, candidates will be afforded 10 business days to provide a response prior to a final determination on hiring eligibility.
JOB LOCATION - Candidate must be able to report to and work from the noted work location and comply with the agency's Return to Office (RTO) requirements.
