HUMID: Post-Doc on the study of drought with models and remote sensing data

We are looking for researchers with a PhD who want to apply for an 18-month contract focused on the study of drought using models and remote sensing data.

Deadline for applications: 28/04/2019

Title of the topic	Study of Drought processes in Iberia by means of land-surface modeling and remote sensing
Host institution	Ebro Observatory - Ramon Llull University. Roquetes (Tarragona Province), Spain. http://www.obsebre.es - http://www.url.edu
Supervisor	Dr. Pere Quintana-Seguí (Observatori de l’Ebre-URL)
Financial Framework	The Post-doc position is funded by the HUMID project (CGL2017-85687-R)
Salary	The gross annual salary is € 26,400.00
Profile of applicant	The candidate must have a PhD or equivalent degree in Physics, Hydrology, Meteorology, Climatology, Civil Engineering or similar. Experience in the use of hydrological models, LSMs (land-surface model) or similar. Experience in the use of remote sensing data, especially of soil moisture. Capacity for scientific programming in Python, R, Matlab or similar and with FORTRAN (optional). Ability to write and publish scientific articles in the English language and to participate in international scientific congresses also in the English language.
Description of the topic for the post-doc	The post-doc will work on large scale hydrological simulation with the SASER (SAFRAN-SURFEX-EAUDYSEE-RAPID) hydrological modelling chain and with downscaled remote sensing surface soil moisture data, with the objective to better understand drought processes in an anthropized environment (Ebro River basin and Iberia as a whole). The specifics of the work will be decided with the contracted person, according to his/her experience and skills, always within the objectives of the HUMID project.
Description of the project	HUMID (Hydrological Understanding and Modeling of Iberian Drought) Project Drought is a major climatic risk resulting from complex interactions between the atmosphere, the continental surface and water resource management. Droughts have large socioeconomic impacts in Spain due to the scarcity and the high level of use of water resources. Recent studies show that drought is increasing in frequency and is more severe. Future climate scenarios show that drought will continue to increase in intensity, severity and duration, causing more competition for water resources. HUMID will study the utility of LSM models in a context of drought. The project will assess whether these models adequately reproduce the processes and characteristics of drought, both when operating independently (offline) and when used within a regional climate model (coupled). In addition, the SASER model, a distributed and physically based hydrological model for the Iberian Peninsula, based on the SURFEX LSM, will be improved. In this case, reservoirs will be introduced in the model to study the impact of these on drought processes. To this aim, models will be developed to reproduce the management rules of the main irrigation reservoirs of the Ebro basin. In collaboration with an innovative company, HUMID will also use state-of-the-art remote sensing products, mainly soil moisture, to assess the usefulness of this information for drought monitoring. It will be evaluated how remote sensing data can be used to validate and to complement LSMs, by means of indices and, if possible, by means of data assimilation. HUMID, in collaboration with stakeholders, will develop useful drought indices for managers, based on the observed data already in use, in combination with modelling and remote sensing data, ensuring that the results of the project will have a real impact on society.
Requirements	The candidates must: be a national of any member state of the European Union or, in the case of citizens of countries that are not members of the EU, to certify legal residence and work permit in Spain. Be of legal age Certify official doctoral degree in Physics, Hydrology, Meteorology, Climate, Civil Engineering or similar.
Applications	Applications will be submitted by e-mail, sending a message to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. including the code "HUMID-Post-doc" in the subject line. The deadline for submission of applications is April 28, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. (official time in peninsular Spain). The applicants must satisfy the requirements of the previous section and also attach electronic copies of: Curriculum vitae. Doctor's degree (or certificate certifying that the defense of the thesis has been successfully completed). Photocopy of official ID card, passport or any other identity document valid in the European Union. Letter of motivation, not more than four pages in length. Letters of recommendation (optional). List of scientific publications of the candidate (doctoral thesis, project reports and / or scientific articles). Electronic copies of the doctoral thesis, reports and articles that have not been published in open access will be supplied.
Complete rules	The complete rules of this call can be found at: http://www.obsebre.es/images/oeb/pdfs/ca/Contractatacio/bases-contractacio-postdoc-humid_DAs.pdf
Contact	For any enquiry, please contact Dr. Pere Quintana-Seguí (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) adding HUMID to the subject line.

List of admitted candidates

04/30/2019 12:00: Following the rules of the call, we proceed to publish the list of candidates admitted to the selection process. We note that having a work permit in the EU was a requirement of the call. Candidates who wish to do so have 3 business days to submit amendments and possible claims, by sending an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Name	Surname	PhD diploma or defended PhD thesis	Work Permit	Admission to the selection process
Babak	AMIRATAEE	Yes	No	No
Prasad	ANISETTY	Yes	No	No
Rémy	BONNET	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mukesh	BOORI	Yes	No	No
Somsubhra	CHATTOPADHYAY	Yes	No	No
Farid	FARIDANI	Yes	No	No
Jaime	GAONA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Laura	JIMÉNEZ LIÉBANAS	Yes	Yes	Yes
Faramarz	JUDY	Yes	No	No
Liu	KAI	Yes	No	No
Pradeepika	KAUSHIK	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hadush	KIDANE	Yes	No	No
Arnab	KUNDU	Yes	No	No
Yu	LI	Yes	No	No
José Andrés	LÓPEZ TARAZÓN	Yes	Yes	Yes
Adriana	MARQUEZ	Yes	No	No
Shifa	MATHBOUT	Yes	Yes	Yes
Louise	MIMEAU	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rajchandar	PADMANABAN	Yes	Yes	Yes
Shray	PATHAK	Yes	No	No
Hamidreza	RAHIMI	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amir	REZAI	Yes	No	No
Albert	ROVIRA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ankita	SAXENA	Yes	No	No
Juan M.	SAYOL	Yes	Yes	Yes
Allabakash	SHAIK	Yes	No	No
Xavier	SÒRIA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Oleg	STEPANYUK	Yes	No	No
Rifat	SULTANA	Yes	No	No
Pezhman	TAHEREI	Yes	No	No
Yiwen	XU	Yes	No	No

Final decision

17/05/2019: The final decision has been published here, in PDF format.

Details: Last Updated: 17 May 2019