King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

We are seeking a creative and ambitious postdoctoral researcher to undertake impactful research in the area of reservoir sedimentation and water resource management. The selected candidate will join Prof. Hylke Beck’s newly formed research group within the Climate and Livability Initiative (CLI) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its 574 dams serving critical functions like flood control, irrigation, and drinking water supply, has ambitious plans to construct an additional thousand by 2030. However, significant sedimentation issues and a subsequent loss of reservoir capacity are threatening the effectiveness of the Kingdom’s dams. The candidate will be expected to leverage state-of-the-art measurement techniques, satellite datasets, and numerical modeling to (i) assess soil loss and sediment production at the basin scale; (ii) investigate reservoir siltation and trapping efficiency; and (iii) propose optimal dam operation and sediment management strategies.

In addition to initiating, developing, and delivering high-quality research, your role will involve publishing in leading peer-reviewed journals, presenting at international conferences, assisting in research proposal development, supervising graduate students, and participating in lab meetings. Candidates must have at least four relevant first-author peer-reviewed papers. Preference will be given to candidates with a strong publication record and proven experience in Python programming, source code versioning and management, cloud computing, machine learning, big data analytics, and climate, hydrological, hydrodynamic, or morphodynamic modeling.

Located on the Red Sea 80 km north of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, KAUST is an international graduate-level research university. KAUST offers state-of-the-art research facilities, including one of the fastest supercomputers in the world, and an attractive compensation package, including a tax-free salary upwards of US$50,000 p.a., free fully-furnished on-campus housing, four weeks of paid annual leave (in addition to 15 national holidays), extensive health care coverage (medical and dental), relocation assistance, and free education at KAUST international schools for children. The appointment is for one year and will be renewed for up to three years, based on performance.

Applications must be submitted to Prof. Hylke Beck (hylke.beck@kaust.edu.sa). A complete application includes the following materials: (i) a curriculum vitae including a list of publications; (ii) a cover letter briefly describing your research experience and interests; and (iii) the contact information of at least three references (who will not be contacted until after the interview). Please include ‘Sedimentation Postdoc’ in the subject line of your email.