US EPA Postdoctoral Fellowship: Legacy Nutrient Modeling Across Large River Basins

The postdoctoral research will use a process-based watershed modeling simulation approach to project (1) potential legacy-based lags in downstream N responses to wetland restoration and (2) the overarching role that legacy N plays in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (~0.5 million km2 covering eight states) source, transport, and fate of nitrate, a top Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force research priority. 

We will leverage and further adapt an existing modified SWAT model for the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) – potentially linking it to a groundwater transport model – to simulate N storage and transit times across both UMRB sub basins and at the river basin scale. This research will help elucidate the impact of lags (e.g., seasonal, annual, decadal) in conservation practice effectiveness due to legacy N in the Mississippi River Basin and how these lags affect improvements in water quality.

The postdoctoral fellow will join a research team of watershed hydrologists, biogeochemists, and systems ecologists for an one-year postdoctoral research appointment with the potential for two- to three extensions of appointment. The research participant will gain experience with cross-agency (e.g., with US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service) and intra-agency (e.g., EPA Regions, Office of Water) collaborations. The research participant will (co-)lead multiple publications of the study outcomes in leading scientific journals, as well as present research findings at multiple professional conferences.

Open to U.S. citizens.

Additional information, including how to apply, can be found here: 

https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/EPA-ORD-CEMM-WECD-2023-04

Feel free to reach out to Dr. Heather Golden (golden.heather@epa.gov) with questions.