Operational Hydrologist

About the Role

Lynker is seeking a dynamic and experienced Operational Hydrologist to join their growing team. This role is embedded at the NWS and involves R2O (Research-to-Operations) initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

R2O Implementation & Research

• Lead the design, testing, and experimental implementation of FIRO decision-support tools and other advanced hydrologic models and forecasting techniques within the SERFC operational environment.
• Conduct hydrologic research, including model development, calibration, testing, and verification.
• Assist with software testing and implementation.
• Experiment with new models at the local level.
• Support the integration of new tools and workflows with the NWS Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS), ensuring robustness and reliability for public safety forecasts.
• Analyze and visualize data to evaluate model performance, ensemble forecasts, and reservoir inflow predictions, including during tropical cyclones and other high-impact events.

Collaboration & Operations-to-Research

• Serve as the liaison between CIROH, CW3E, Lynker, and SERFC to ensure effective integration of research into operations, and of operations into research.
• Develop in-depth knowledge of Southeast hydrology and partner needs, including reservoir operations, and bring those insights back to FIRO researchers to guide future research and development.
• Evaluate existing operational workflows and recommend improvements that enhance efficiency and forecast accuracy.

Communication & Publishing

• Present forecasts and research findings to stakeholders and at national scientific conferences.
• Lead or contribute to annual scientific reports and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Requirements & Tech Stack

Education & Experience

• A Ph.D. in Hydrology, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Atmospheric Science, or a related discipline; OR
• A Master's degree in a related discipline and 2+ years of professional experience in hydrology, hydrologic modeling, or hydrometeorology.

Hydrologic Modeling

• Hands-on experience with hydrologic models (e.g., SAC-SMA, the National Water Model, or other conceptual or physically based models).
• Solid understanding of hydrologic forecasting concepts.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Python or R for scientific programming and the analysis of large hydrologic and meteorological datasets.

Communication & Collaboration

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with forecasters, researchers, and partners across multiple organizations.

Ideal Hydrologist Qualifications

• Experience with Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), reservoir operations, or similar water management decision-support approaches.
• Familiarity with NWS operational forecasting systems, such as CHPS and the Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast Service (HEFS).
• Experience with ensemble forecasts, probabilistic verification, or risk-based decision support.
• Knowledge of hydrometeorological hazards common to the Southeast, such as tropical cyclones, coastal and compound flooding, and extreme rainfall; or experience with atmospheric river research.
• Familiarity with modern software development practices (version control, containerization) to streamline model deployment.
• Peer-reviewed publications or presentations at scientific conferences.