Research Scientist Associate

Research Scientist Associate

• 503900
• Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
• Staff
• Staff Full-time
• Closing at: Aug 20 2026 - 23:55 MDT

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Department Contact: Carolina Mijares, (575) 646-4337 & mijares@nmsu.edu

Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants

Advertising Summary: The New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute (NM WRRI) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) invites applications for a Research Scientist, Associate - Hydrologic Modeler to join an interdisciplinary team addressing critical water resource challenges across New Mexico and the Southwest.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to develop and apply advanced hydrologic models that improve understanding of water availability, movement, and management under arid and semi-arid environmental conditions. The successful candidate will collaborate with scientists, engineers, geographers, agricultural producers, water managers, Tribal Nations, acequia associations, irrigation districts, and other community partners to develop innovative, science-based solutions that support resilient water resources and agricultural systems.

The Research Scientist, Associate will contribute to projects funded by the Bureau of Reclamation, National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA, and other state and federal sponsors. Research activities include surface water, groundwater, agricultural water management, water budgets, climate impacts, ecosystem processes, and integrated water resource management. Working within an interdisciplinary research environment, the successful candidate will develop and apply hydrologic models, analyze environmental and geospatial datasets, and create decision-support tools that inform water management and policy across New Mexico and the Southwest.

Position Details

Position Title: Research Scientist Associate

College/Division: Research, Creativity and ED

Department: 470500-WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Commensurate with qualifications

Appointment Full-time Equivalency: 1.0

FLSA Status: Exempt

Bargaining Unit Announcement: This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Contingent Upon Funding: Contingent upon funding

Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard Work Schedule:

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Collaborate closely with the Principal Investigator and interdisciplinary project teams to develop and apply hydrologic models that support research, planning, and water resource management.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Lead and coordinate assigned modeling and research activities, project milestones, and technical deliverables.

Develop, calibrate, validate, and apply hydrologic and water resources models to evaluate water availability, management, and the impacts of drought, climate variability, and land use change.

Conduct quantitative analyses of hydrologic, climatic, environmental, and geospatial datasets using GIS, remote sensing, and statistical methods.

Integrate modeling results with field observations, monitoring data, and interdisciplinary research to improve understanding of water systems and management strategies.

Develop maps, visualizations, and decision-support tools that communicate complex scientific information to researchers, resource managers, stakeholders, and policymakers.

Collaborate with faculty, agencies, agricultural producers, tribes, pueblos, acequia associations, irrigation districts, and other partners to address regional water resource challenges.

Mentor graduate and undergraduate students participating in research activities.

Prepare technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations for scientific, agency, and stakeholder audiences.

Assist with proposal development and contribute to expanding NM WRRI''s externally funded research portfolio.

Preferred Qualifications

Hydrologic and water resources modeling

Surface water and groundwater systems

Water budget analysis

GIS and geospatial analysis (ArcGIS Pro or similar)

Remote sensing and spatial data analysis

Scientific programming (Python, MATLAB, etc.)

Statistical analysis and model evaluation

Climate and environmental data analysis

Decision-support systems and scientific visualization

Model calibration, validation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty assessment

Special Requirements of the Position

The successful candidate will be expected to:

Develop collaborative research partnerships with faculty, agencies, and community stakeholders.

Participate in the preparation and submission of at least three external funding proposals annually.

Publish at least three peer-reviewed scholarly publications annually.

Present research findings at professional meetings, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.

Travel as needed to support research activities, field investigations, and project collaboration.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:

Associate''s Degree + 7 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor''s degree + 5 years of relevant experience.

Equivalent Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred Education: Bachelor''s degree in a related field

Preferred Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience related to the job duties and responsibilities as outlined

Special Certification/Licensure:

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Physical Effort: Light physical effort. Effort applies to no more than two (2) hours per day.

Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.