Department/Organization
204431 - Geography

Rank
Research Assistant or Associate Professor

Position Summary
The Department of Geography and the Environment, in collaboration with the Alabama Water Institute (AWI) and the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), at the University of Alabama (UA) invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track Renewable Contract Research faculty at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in the area of Geospatial Science.

Detailed Position Information
The Department of Geography and the Environment at UA, in collaboration with AWI and CIROH, invites applications for a full-time Geospatial Scientist focusing on Water Resources Science to join our vibrant academic community, with an anticipated start date of January 2026. The successful candidate is expected to bring to UA expertise in areas such as environmental change, hydroinformatics, geographic information systems, remote sensing, urban systems, and human-environment interaction and will join a growing team supporting the UA water research enterprise, the department's diverse water research portfolio, and the translation of CIROH research into operations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Water Center.
The Geospatial Scientist will receive a 12-month appointment (renewable contract) with workload split between the Department of Geography and the Environment and CIROH. The Geospatial Scientist is expected to contribute to the established, high-impact water research enterprise at UA; support and/or oversee research projects, in coordination with CIROH and NOAA/OWP collaborators; assume responsibility for monitoring, assessing, and supporting relevant research projects being led by CIROH researchers; lead and/or make significant contributions to the planning and design of CIROH research proposals and projects; develop, organize, and participate in meetings, discussion sessions, workshops, and seminars related to research project assignments; and assist in short- and long-term planning for relevant areas of the CIROH research portfolio. There is also potential for limited teaching in the Geography or Environmental Science graduate program if mutually desired.
The University of Alabama is the state’s flagship public university and offers a full course of academic programs and social life to its nearly 40,000 students. It is located in Tuscaloosa, AL, a diverse city with a population of more than 115,000, and offers an excellent quality of life with many cultural events and attractions, outdoor activities, and a reasonable cost of living.
The University of Alabama is home to a world-class water research enterprise led by AWI, in partnership with academic departments and affiliated research entities. This enterprise is uniquely strengthened by its co-location with two key federal partners, i.e., the NOAA National Water Center and the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility.
AWI brings together interdisciplinary teams to address the nation’s most pressing water challenges, from floods and droughts to water quality, ecosystem health, and competing resource demands. Its efforts are organized through three research entities that connect discovery to real-world impact: 1. The Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), 2. The Global Water Security Center (GWSC), and 3. The CONSERVE Research Group.
CIROH, a partnership between NOAA and The University of Alabama, is a national consortium committed to advancing water prediction, i.e., the forecasting of streamflow entering water systems, extreme events such as floods and droughts, and water quality, and building community resilience to water-related challenges. CIROH scientists, from 28 different institutions – academic, government, and private – work to improve the understanding of hydrologic processes, operational hydrologic forecasting techniques and workflows, community water modeling, translation of forecasts to actionable products, and use of water predictions in decision making.
Within this expansive water research enterprise, the Department of Geography and the Environment provides unique expertise in the spatial and environmental dimensions of water science. The Department is a vibrant and growing departmental unit with 24 faculty members that share a vision of bettering the world through discovery, application, and communicating knowledge about the environment and interactions between society and Earth’s natural systems. Faculty within the department are at the forefront of research in global hydrology, paleoflood hydrology, and watershed hydrologic modeling. They specialize in understanding the complex dynamics of human-environment interactions and the critical impacts of climate change on water resources. By integrating advanced geospatial techniques with physical and social science, our geographers address everything from historical climate patterns to future water security.
This is a 12-month, full-time, benefits-eligible position with opportunities for professional development.

Minimum Qualifications
• A PhD in Geography or a related field with 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated record of prior research work and a record of impactful scholarly publications in refereed journals.
• Demonstrated proficiency with industry-standard GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS Pro, QGIS).
• Experience with geospatial data analysis and scripting, preferably using Python or R.
• Strong data management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to be credentialed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting research in a university environment. • Expertise in advanced geospatial topics such as web GIS (ArcGIS Online, Mapbox), cloud computing platforms (AWS, Google Cloud), or machine learning applications for spatial data. • A record of contribution to research proposals or scholarly publications • Per NOAA requirements finalists must be a U.S. Citizen or a Green-Card holder that has lived in the U.S. three of the past five years.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Applicants should complete the online application at https://careers.ua.edu/jobs/search/AS The application must include: 1. A letter of application outlining your qualifications and interest in the position. 2. A current resume or curriculum vita. 3. Contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the search will continue until the positions are filled. The expected start date of the position is January 2026. Questions about the position can be directed to therrell@ua.edu

About the Division/College/School
The J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama offers an exciting and dynamic environment for faculty seeking to make an impact in their field and in the lives of the innovators and changemakers of tomorrow.

As the largest college at The University, we house over 9,000 students and 1,000 faculty and staff across our 22 departments.

With nationally recognized programs and award-winning faculty, our College has positioned itself as a leader in higher education. Our facilities and resources include state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and performance venues, providing students with hands-on learning experiences and opportunities for research and creative expression.

The College is committed to the liberal arts philosophy that fosters creative and critical thinking and a lifetime of learning.”

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.