Post-Doctoral Associate – Soil‑Crop Modeling for Coastal Stressors

About the role

The Agroecology Lab at the University of Maryland, in partnership with the USDA‑ARS Adaptive Crops and Systems Laboratory, seeks a motivated Post‑Doctoral Associate to advance soil‑crop process modeling for agricultural systems impacted by coastal stressors such as saltwater intrusion and flooding.

Key responsibilities

• Adapt and apply the 2DSOIL finite‑element model to simulate soil and water solute transport under saltwater intrusion and flooding conditions.
• Develop algorithms that capture salinity effects on root growth, water uptake, photosynthesis, and other plant physiological processes.
• Compile and use field and literature data for model parameterization, testing, and validation.
• Contribute to mulch decomposition and nitrogen cycling components relevant to cover‑crop and transitional farming systems.
• Collaborate with scientists and graduate students collecting data on saline soils and crop performance.
• Provide numerical modeling support across USDA‑ARS and UMD labs and train graduate students in model application.
• Prepare peer‑reviewed manuscripts and technical reports based on modeling outcomes.

Required profile

• Ph.D. in Soil Science, Agricultural Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related environmental science field with strong emphasis on applied mathematics, numerical methods, and modeling.
• Research background in soil science, hydrology, or agronomy.
• Experience with process‑based soil or crop simulation models (finite‑element, finite‑difference, or similar).

Required skills

• Proficiency in at least one scientific programming language (Python, R, MATLAB, C++, or FORTRAN).
• Familiarity with finite‑element modeling (e.g., 2DSOIL) and soil‑water transport simulations.
• Ability to develop and implement algorithms for plant physiological processes.