Join our lab
Current opportunities
We are looking to support PhD students and a postdoctoral scientist/project scientist to work on climate science and climate impacts. These challenges include both basic climate science questions as well as applied questions relating climate impacts and human-and-natural systems including water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems focused on the western United States. Interested parties should send an email with their CV to John Abatzoglou. Applicants should have enthusiasm for scientific computing, statistics, and climate impacts. The Climatology lab is motivated to maintain a diverse and inclusive lab environment; under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
PhD Students
For the 2023 admission cycle, we are recruiting for three PhD positions that will include at least four years of full stipend and tuition support:
Climate impacts to southwestern agriculture and water
This project is supported through the Secure Water Future project supported through USDA. The broader project goals are to transform climate adaptation efforts in water scarce agricultural systems such as those in the Southwestern US through innovations in data-enabled decision-making. Climate variability and change are one of the challenges faced in managing risk to agricultural and ecosystems across different time horizons. A PhD student would contribute to questions that examine climate impacts to water, agriculture, and ecosystems pertinent to the grand challenges faced in the southwestern US. This project involves colleagues at other University of California campuses, New Mexico State University, and Utah State University and may include experiential learning about water through our annual river rafting trips.
Science-guided artificial intelligence for hydroclimate
This position will be funded through a large multi-institute project AgAID which is supported through NSF that includes colleagues at UC Merced, Washington State, Oregon State, and the University of Virginia. This student will work on improving understanding of how science-guided artificial intelligence can improve water allocation decisions in a changing climate in the western US. This student will have an opportunity to be immersed in data fusion of traditional and science-guided AI approaches for seasonal climate and hydrologic forecasting and work with industry partners.
Biophysical and societal contributors to human-caused wildfires
This position aims to understand the processes and patterns of human-caused fires and fires that resist suppression efforts to become large fires in the western US. In addition, we hope to identify the potential value of fire-prevention efforts in culling human-caused fires and the meteorological and climatological factors that enable large human-caused fires. The student will work as part of a team including collaborators at UC Merced, Oregon State University, and Boise State University through projects supported by the Joint Fire Science Program.
Desired qualifications:
Doctoral coursework can be in the multi-disciplinary Environmental Systems (ES) PhD program or Management of Complex Systems (MCS) PhD program.
Postdoctoral Scientist/Project Scientist
We are looking for a postdoctoral scientist or project scientist to work on several related projects around the topic of drought in the western United States. These projects include (i) advancing knowledge on drought impacts and early warning systems for agricultural, ecosystem, and tourism sectors, (ii) developing science-guided machine learning approaches for seasonal hydroclimate forecasts, and (iii) unraveling the roles of drought, weather, and humans on human-caused fires.
Qualifications: Candidates must possess a Ph.D. (plus post-doctoral or equivalent experience for the project scientist position) in earth science, engineering, geography, hydrology, climatology, or a related field with demonstrated experience in geospatial data analytics. Successful candidates will have demonstrated strong collaborative skills and a proven publication record. Technical skills include advanced proficiency in programming for applied statistics, modeling, data science (e.g., Python, Matlab, R), and experience working with large and diverse datasets. Full time funding with benefits is available for up to three years.
UC Merced: The newest 'UC', established in 2005 with a mission to serve the Central Valley by promoting sustainable environment and society. Notably, UCM is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and the most diverse UC campus. UC Merced is located about 2 hours from both the San Francisco Bay Area and Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada.
We are looking to support PhD students and a postdoctoral scientist/project scientist to work on climate science and climate impacts. These challenges include both basic climate science questions as well as applied questions relating climate impacts and human-and-natural systems including water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems focused on the western United States. Interested parties should send an email with their CV to John Abatzoglou. Applicants should have enthusiasm for scientific computing, statistics, and climate impacts. The Climatology lab is motivated to maintain a diverse and inclusive lab environment; under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
PhD Students
For the 2023 admission cycle, we are recruiting for three PhD positions that will include at least four years of full stipend and tuition support:
Climate impacts to southwestern agriculture and water
This project is supported through the Secure Water Future project supported through USDA. The broader project goals are to transform climate adaptation efforts in water scarce agricultural systems such as those in the Southwestern US through innovations in data-enabled decision-making. Climate variability and change are one of the challenges faced in managing risk to agricultural and ecosystems across different time horizons. A PhD student would contribute to questions that examine climate impacts to water, agriculture, and ecosystems pertinent to the grand challenges faced in the southwestern US. This project involves colleagues at other University of California campuses, New Mexico State University, and Utah State University and may include experiential learning about water through our annual river rafting trips.
Science-guided artificial intelligence for hydroclimate
This position will be funded through a large multi-institute project AgAID which is supported through NSF that includes colleagues at UC Merced, Washington State, Oregon State, and the University of Virginia. This student will work on improving understanding of how science-guided artificial intelligence can improve water allocation decisions in a changing climate in the western US. This student will have an opportunity to be immersed in data fusion of traditional and science-guided AI approaches for seasonal climate and hydrologic forecasting and work with industry partners.
Biophysical and societal contributors to human-caused wildfires
This position aims to understand the processes and patterns of human-caused fires and fires that resist suppression efforts to become large fires in the western US. In addition, we hope to identify the potential value of fire-prevention efforts in culling human-caused fires and the meteorological and climatological factors that enable large human-caused fires. The student will work as part of a team including collaborators at UC Merced, Oregon State University, and Boise State University through projects supported by the Joint Fire Science Program.
Desired qualifications:
- Experience with a scripting language (MATLAB/R/Python)
- Experience working with large and/or diverse datasets
- Experience with statistical approaches or quantitative approaches
- M.S. degree in a relevant science or engineering discipline by Summer 2023
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills
Doctoral coursework can be in the multi-disciplinary Environmental Systems (ES) PhD program or Management of Complex Systems (MCS) PhD program.
Postdoctoral Scientist/Project Scientist
We are looking for a postdoctoral scientist or project scientist to work on several related projects around the topic of drought in the western United States. These projects include (i) advancing knowledge on drought impacts and early warning systems for agricultural, ecosystem, and tourism sectors, (ii) developing science-guided machine learning approaches for seasonal hydroclimate forecasts, and (iii) unraveling the roles of drought, weather, and humans on human-caused fires.
Qualifications: Candidates must possess a Ph.D. (plus post-doctoral or equivalent experience for the project scientist position) in earth science, engineering, geography, hydrology, climatology, or a related field with demonstrated experience in geospatial data analytics. Successful candidates will have demonstrated strong collaborative skills and a proven publication record. Technical skills include advanced proficiency in programming for applied statistics, modeling, data science (e.g., Python, Matlab, R), and experience working with large and diverse datasets. Full time funding with benefits is available for up to three years.
UC Merced: The newest 'UC', established in 2005 with a mission to serve the Central Valley by promoting sustainable environment and society. Notably, UCM is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and the most diverse UC campus. UC Merced is located about 2 hours from both the San Francisco Bay Area and Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada.
