[ES_JOBS_NET] PhD Student Opportunity at the intersection of AI, hydrology and fire

[mojtaba sadegh]

*Seeking 1-2 PhD Students to Join an NSF-Funded Transdisciplinary Project
Advancing Hydrology × Artificial Intelligence × Wildfire Science*

*About the Research*

Land, fire, and water managers face a major challenge: understanding how
low intensity wildland fires, including prescribed fires and managed
wildfires, influence the hydrologic balance of watersheds. These
low-severity fires reduce postfire erosion and debris flows and help
sustain water supplies — but scientific consensus on their watershed-scale
impacts is lacking. This PhD research will leverage advanced AI methods to
quantify changes in water quantity, timing, and quality following managed
fires across diverse western US landscapes. By integrating extensive
climate, streamflow, sediment, and watershed attributes into
state-of-the-art deep learning models, students will disentangle complex
drivers of hydrologic response, capture watershed memory over days to
decades, and support fire management strategies.

*Desired Candidate Qualifications*

• Strong computational and programming skills (e.g., Python, ML frameworks,
data processing)
• Solid grounding in hydrologic principles
• High level of work ethic, independence, and motivation
• Strong communication and professional collaboration skills
• Interest in interdisciplinary research and real-world applications

Experience with geospatial datasets, deep learning, cloud computing, and/or
google earth engine is a plus.

*The Opportunity*

• Join a large team of AI scientists, hydrologists, ecologists, social
scientists and economists in a $4M project funded by the US National
Science Foundation
<https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award?AWD_ID=2521103>

• Fully-funded PhD positions in the “Computing PhD” program (data science
or AI tracks) at Boise State:
https://www.boisestate.edu/computing/academics/doctoral-program/
• Opportunity to teach AI courses in addition to conducting
state-of-the-art research
• Publish in high-impact journals + engagement with fire and water
management agencies
• Develop transferable skills for careers in academia, national labs, or
applied science organizations

*Apply Today*

If you are eager to push boundaries in climate-fire-water science and
develop advanced technical expertise with real-world influence — we want to
hear from you! Please email your cover letter (describing your
qualifications and motivations for joining the team), and curriculum vitae
(including educational background and a list of publications and/or
products) to Dr. Moji Sadegh at: mojtabasadegh at boisestate.edu

Desired start date: January or August 2026


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Mojtaba Sadegh, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University
Senior Fellow, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment
and Health
Office: ERB 4147 . 1910 University Drive , Boise ID, 83725-2060
Phone: 208-426-3774 . Email: mojtabasadegh at boisestate.edu
Website <https://www.boisestate.edu/coen-hydroclimate/> - Google Scholar
<https://goo.gl/GB5HCI>
*Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca*
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