PhD Research Assistant

Job Description:

The student will work closely with SWF team leaders and will report to Dr. Alexander Fernald and Dr. Caiti Steele. Working on the SWF project, the student’s research will focus on the long-term resilience of the water supply in the Rio Grande Valley of southern New Mexico. This will involve quantitative research on the water budget, specifically:

(i) how precipitation inputs into the water budget both locally and in the Rio Grande headwaters have changed over the twentieth and early twenty-first century, and are expected to change over the next 80 years;

(ii) how groundwater extraction has changed with the development of irrigated agriculture and with the decline of available surface water.

Given this quantitative focus, the successful candidate will have a strong background in statistics and strong data processing skills with software capable of handling large datasets. The successful candidate will also be expected to engage with water stakeholders and to communicate research results with interested parties including but not limited to farmers and producer groups, Extension personnel, water companies, soil and water conservation districts, and state and federal agency personnel.

Communicating how the water budget has changed, Probe change inputs, How compares to change in water use, Back up observations with gw, and Implications, loss of rivers systems, impinging on long term resilience (adaptive to disconnected mining).

Salary Description:

In this position, you will be employed at a 0.50 FTE, working approximately 20 hours per week at a rate of pay of $25,149.00. In addition to the $25,149.00/year GA salary you will receive a Graduate Tuition Scholarship which covers tuition costs for graduate courses that count toward degree certification at $343.80/credit hour for up to 18 credit hours/year (up to nine credits in the fall semester and nine credits in the spring semester). During the employment term, NM WRRI will reimburse charges for International health insurance coverage or other health insurance coverage obtained through the health insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act opened on October 1, 2013 ($1,742 per year for international students and up to $200/month for health insurance coverage obtained through the health insurance marketplaces for U.S. students). Application Instructions: Applicants must fill out an application for admission to the NMSU Water Science and Management Graduate Program via the NMSU Graduate School website: Click Apply Now to get started.

While completing the NMSU Graduate School application packet, there is a section that asks, “How do you plan on funding your graduate studies?”. In this section, please mention the SWF graduate assistantship that you are applying for. The Senior Student Program Coordinator can be contacted directly at wsm@nmsu.edu for questions about the Water Science and Management Graduate Program. Admission Requirements:

1. Possession of a master’s degree from an accredited university with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. However, students with grade point averages between 3.0 and 3.5 will be given consideration.

2. Three letters of recommendation submitted directly from persons who know the applicant professionally, including a recommendation from the candidate’s current employer/sponsor. These letters should provide evidence of professional ability, research experience, and the potential for professional development.

3. In addition, applicants to the Ph.D. program should provide evidence of research capacity. This could include a master’s thesis, a professional paper, peer-reviewed manuscripts, consulting reports, or other evidence of capacity to conduct research.

4. A letter of intent or statement of purpose that addresses individual professional and personal goals related to water science and management and discusses how these goals fit within the degree programs at NMSU. It is expected that the candidate will have made contact with prospective advisor(s) at NMSU and speak about how he or she would work with said advisor(s) to advance their research and study.

5. A brief resume or curriculum vitae not to exceed five pages that summarize the candidate’s background and qualifications.