Postdoc in developing low-cost flood and drought early warning system in India

Your job

Are you enthusiastic about contributing to an interdisciplinary project that aims to develop a flood and drought early warning system in India? Do you have a strong interest in developing machine learning models to improve and expand existing flood and drought early warning systems? Are you passionate about co-developing this system with stakeholders? If so, an exciting job opportunity is waiting for you!

The Earth Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University, is looking for a motivated Postdoctoral (PD) candidate to join an interdisciplinary research project focused on “Low-cost disaster and emergency services for communities at risk” (LODESTAR). This project aims to co-create a low-cost multi-hazard early warning system (EWS) in collaboration with all related stakeholders. This project will utilize advanced yet cost-effective technological applications like machine learning-based data assimilation and analysis of process-based hydrologic-hydraulic models to develop reliable and efficient EWS in India. You should have an interest in integrated quantitative modeling that combines machine learning approach and process-based model, and in working with interdisciplinary teams from different backgrounds and cultures.

As part of this project, you will be involved in the following key objectives:

• Improve the existing flood and drought models used for monitoring and EWS: You will conduct the feasibility of real-time hydrometeorological data assimilation using machine learning algorithms to improve flood and drought forecasts. More specifically, you will utilize data obtained from the low-cost sensors installed at the fields to predict e.g. rainfall intensity and streamflow and establish community-based EWS. The outputs from the low-cost sensors and enhanced weather predictions will be used in the early warning system (EWS)
• Develop disaster and emergency (EWS) services to address the challenges of flood and drought, including their compounding nature: You will develop a flood and drought EWS using machine learning algorithms and process-based models fed with weather forecasts. This will be done together with partners from Indian Universities who have developed the process-based models and the model we currently use in our group (WUR-VIC/LPJML). You will also integrate the flood EWS and drought EWS into a multi-hazard EWS. You will embed the developed algorithms  in a dashboard that will be developed as part of the project.
• Implementing new EWS technologies and accelerating their uptake: You will support the implementation of living labs by harnessing project otucomes to co-develop EWS end-user interface for a dashboard. The dashboard will include components that allow two-way communication to facilitate knowledge-sharing between stakeholders. The users should be able to interpret the outputs of EWS and in contrast, the EWS should accommodate the needs of users.

In this project, you will work together in a team consisting of partners both from the Netherlands and India. You will work closely with another PD from Sociology of Development and Change group, Wageningen University.

Your duties and responsibilities in this role will include:

• Conducting research and analysis within the framework of the project;
• Contributing to the development of forecasting extreme weather events;
• Publishing research results in peer-reviewed journals;
• Coordination actions within the project.

Your qualities

The ideal candidate must have the following qualities:

• Excellent team-working and communication skills, writing skills, and the ability to work in a multicultural and international environment;
• Strong analytical technical skills;
• Strong programming experience using Python, R, or others (We will not consider applications that do not showcase that);
• Proven experience with developing AI/machine learning/deep learning algorithms (We will not consider applications that do not showcase that); 
• Familiarity with big data analysis;
• Experience with analyzing extreme events, especially flood and drought;
• Excellent academic record with a strong publication record.

You must also possess:

• A relevant Ph.D. degree in Meteorology, Climatology, Hydrology, Environmental Science, or similar;
• Enthusiasm for collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of researchers with diverse backgrounds and disciplines;
• Interest in stakeholder interaction;
• Experience in supervision and project management, preferably in a research context.

If you meet the above-mentioned requirements, have a clear research affinity, and if you are enthusiastic about multidisciplinary cooperation, you are the ideal candidate for us!

You will work here
This research position is embedded within the Earth Systems and Global Change Group, led by Prof. dr. Nynke Hofstra. You will be co-supervised by dr. Samuel Sutanto, dr. Spyros Paparrizos, and prof. dr. Hester Biemans who will provide guidance and support throughout the project.

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• Sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more;
• there is a strong focus on vitality, and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a good salary and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.345,- and € 4.812,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Initially, we offer you a one-year contract, which will then be extended to an open-ended contract if there is mutual enthusiasm. Of course, we would be happy to discuss this with you if you have any questions.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19^th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact dr. Samuel Sutanto, Researcher by email:samuel.sutanto@wur.nl, or dr. Spyros Paparrizos, Assistant Professor , by email: spyros.paparrizos@wur.nl.

For more information about the application procedure, please contact Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, by email: noorien.abbas@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
Are you interested in this position and do you fit the qualifications? To apply, please send the following:

• a complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae (max. 3 pages);
• a motivation letter (max. 2 pages).

You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 21^st October, 2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews 2 weeks after the closing date. The intended starting date of the position will be from 1^st January, 2025 or earlier.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!


We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.