Natural Resources Job Board

A Ph.D. assistantship is available starting Fall 2025 in the Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences at Auburn University. 

Rationale: We invite applications for a highly motivated PhD student to join an interdisciplinary research project focusing on row crop irrigation using center pivot systems. This project will investigate soil and surface water dynamics during irrigation, including surface runoff, overland flow, water infiltration, irrigation effects on soil water, and agrochemical dynamics.

Project Objectives:

·       Optimize spatial sampling techniques for field-scale infiltration measurements.

·       Simulate surface runoff and overland flow for pivot irrigated fields.

·       Model soil hydrology and chemical fate as driven by pivot irrigation. 

Minimum qualifications: Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in Soil Science, Hydrology, Environmental Science, or a closely related field. They should possess excellent writing and communication skills and proficiency in programming, particularly in R or Python. A valid US driver’s license and experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are required. Additionally, applicants should have a solid background in irrigation and soil hydrology.

Desired qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a Master’s degree in Soil Physics and a peer-reviewed publication based on their MS project. An FAA Part 107 drone license (Small UAS Rule) and experience in photogrammetry and LiDAR data analysis are highly desirable. Proficiency in using Hydrus 2D/3D software is essential, as are advanced skills in R programming. Additional expertise in digital soil mapping and soil morphology will be considered a strong asset.

For questions, please send an email to Dr. Thorsten Knappenberger (knappi@auburn.edu). 

Please fill out this form to apply: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4VGLRrMqCAST76K.