Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Sciences

Illinois State Water Survey Research Development - 75% Work with ISWS databases to streamline data pipeline from database to hydrogeologic models and visualizations for participatory modeling with community stakeholders. o Pipeline could include: Amazon Web Services, Parquet files, Delta and DeltaAI, and LLMFlux. Establish and build working relationship with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Develop software and services to share and explore ISWS, ISGS, and other PRI datasets. For example, contribute to the development of online dashboards, and backend APIs for allowing researchers to view more of their data in one common location. Develop parallelization schema for data pipeline from database to AWS buckets and Data Lakes. Research the integration with artificial intelligence tools with PRI datasets, including: o Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for pattern and trend analysis o Implementation of Covariance-Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES) for improving calibration optimization with modeled datasets o Employing large language models (LLMs) to explore more than one hundred years of analog data at PRI Develop software and tools for digitizing “dark data” – i.e., handwritten data that is not easily incorporated into digital automated workflows. Investigations could include: o Comparisons of 1950s drought groundwater level data against modern drought data. o Use artificial intelligence to query the historical data to find overlooked trends, patterns, and processes. o Meta-analysis of AI-identified trends against human observations to determine how LLMs are missing (or not) important subject matter expertise. Integration of data pipeline into groundwater modeling infrastructure—i.e., MODFLOW6 and FloPy—towards building real-time model simulations. Research Dissemination and Teaching – 20% Present newly developed tools and visualizations at professional conferences, symposiums, and invited seminars. Poster and oral presentations, as well as tabling information booths at public outreach events (e.g., State Fair). Developing teaching materials for teaching environmental scientists, geologists, hydrologists, and ecologists to leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence tools for their research Serving as an invited lecturer for both internal and external courses Other – 5% Perform other duties as needed to further the mission and goals of the Survey, PRI, and the University of Illinois. Keep abreast of developments in this discipline Job Summary An entry-level position dedicated to developing novel research methods for exploring, visualizing, and leveraging the data available at the Illinois State Water Survey. Develop real-time integrations of hydrologic data into groundwater and integrated hydrologic models. Digitization of analog datasets to bring new scientific stories out of the "dark". Physical Demands and Working Conditions The work is sedentary and involves remaining in a stationary position for extended periods of time working at a computer, using a keyboard and mouse, and using repetitive hand motions. Minimum Qualifications Experience writing programming scripts for data visualization and analysis, including course work. Experience with Git for version control, including course work. Familiarity with SQL for database queries. Familiarity with MODFLOW6, FloPy, and other tools for groundwater modeling. Valid Driver’s License Preferred Qualifications Demonstrable experience teaching other professionals machine learning, data analysis, and AI tools and techniques, including providing example notebooks for the audience to reference again in the future. 1-2 years of research experience using Python, R, or other similar software for data analysis. Not using Microsoft Excel. 1-2 years using git and/or GitHub (or similar version control software) for parallel, asynchronous software development for academic research and publications. 1-2 years’ experience using SQL to query datasets and compose relational databases. 1-2 years’ experience with reviewing and developing groundwater models using FloPy and MODFLOW6. 1-2 years of research experience in computer science applications for hydrologic and environmental datasets. Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Minimum software competencies: python for data analysis, git/GitHub, SQL, JavaScript, node.js, WordPress, FloPy, and MODFLOW6. Effective communication, personal relations, collaboration, organizational, teamwork, and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to perform effectively in a diverse and fast-paced work environment consisting of multiple and changing priorities with stringent deadlines, under minimal supervision. Attention to detail, sound judgment, and strong conflict resolution skills. Proficiency in commonly-employed software and databases. Appointment Information This is a 100% full-time Visiting Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 11/16/2026. Position may become regular non-visiting at future date. The budgeted salary range for this position is $55,000 to $65,000. The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the full range for a position. This position is eligible for sponsorship for work authorization. Application Procedures & Deadline Information Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on November 19th 2026. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jon Freiman HR Business Partner at View email address on click.appcast.io. For questions regarding the application process, please contact View phone number on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign