Hydrogeochemical Research Professional

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The College of Engineering is seeking a Hydrogeochemical Research Professional to join a collaborative research team conducting innovative climate, hydrologic, oceanographic, ecological, and geochemical studies across Alaska’s diverse environments. The ideal candidate should have experience conducting fieldwork in remote environments, managing and analyzing environmental data, and communicating scientific findings through reports, presentations, and publications. Join us in advancing environmental research that informs science, resource management, and decision-making throughout Alaska and beyond.

As a Hydrogeochemical Research Professional, you will provide scientific, technical, and operational leadership for multidisciplinary research focused on Alaska’s climate, hydrologic, geophysical, hydrogeochemical, and ecological systems. You will work closely with Principal Investigators, postdoctoral researchers, faculty, students, technicians, and external partners to advance research priorities, coordinate complex project activities, and foster collaborative partnerships across the University of Alaska system and other research institutions. You will also contribute to the development of competitive grant and contract proposals by identifying funding opportunities, coordinating technical input, engaging stakeholders, and helping shape innovative research initiatives.

You will lead and support field, laboratory, and analytical research activities throughout Alaska, ensuring projects are conducted safely, efficiently, and in accordance with established scientific protocols and objectives. Responsibilities include collecting, managing, synthesizing, and interpreting complex climate, hydrologic, geochemical, and ecological datasets to advance scientific understanding, support natural resource management, and address environmental challenges through multidisciplinary research approaches. You will supervise and mentor research technicians and students, promoting scientific rigor, technical proficiency, and effective collaboration among project team members.

You will maintain a strong record of scientific productivity through leadership and contributions to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, conference presentations, and other scholarly products. By synthesizing and interpreting complex environmental datasets, you will produce high-quality scientific outputs that advance knowledge, support funding objectives, inform environmental decision-making, and contribute to the broader understanding of Alaska’s natural systems.

To thrive in this role, the successful candidate should have a strong combination of scientific research expertise, technical proficiency, and exceptional communication skills. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience conducting climate, hydrologic, oceanographic, ecological, and geochemical research in remote and challenging environments, including glacial-fed streams, estuaries, marine systems, groundwater environments, and mountainous regions of Alaska. They should have advanced proficiency in environmental data management, analysis, modeling, and visualization using tools such as R and Python, along with demonstrated expertise in field instrumentation, sensor calibration, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), and long-term environmental monitoring programs.

The successful candidate should have a proven ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and communicate complex scientific findings through technical reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications. They should have knowledge of research funding requirements, reporting procedures, publication standards, and fiscal compliance associated with sponsored research. The ideal candidate should also have a demonstrated ability to work independently in remote field settings, maintain high standards of scientific rigor and data integrity, and adapt to challenging conditions while consistently meeting project goals and deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree and two years research experience at the postgraduate level in a field relevant to the research (e.g. Marine Biology or Ocean Sciences), or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Position Details:

This position is located on the University of Alaska Anchorage Campus. This is a term-funded, full-time, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 80, based on education and experience.

A valid Alaska Driver's License and clean driving record in compliance with UA Safe Driving Criteria.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Because we may close the posting once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is established, we encourage early submission. Please note that once a viable pool is identified, further applications may not be reviewed.

📃To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.

☎️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Kelsie Kingston at kakingston@alaska.edu.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

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This is a term-funded position reviewed annually for contract renewal at the University's discretion.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the ADA team at ua-ada@alaska.edu.

The University of Alaska (www.alaska.edu) is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and Educational Institution.  The University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination (www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination) against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online:  https://uas.alaska.edu/compliance/clery-act/annual-security-reports.html. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing  uas.orca@alaska.edu.