Hydrologist

Role Overview

Lynker is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Operational Hydrologist to serve as the Research-to-Operations (R2O) Lead, embedded within the NOAA National Weather Service Northwest River Forecast Center (RFC) in Portland, OR. This contract is contingent on Lynker winning the contract award. The role supports Lynker’s partnership with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), the Office of Water Prediction, and NWS RFCs.

As the senior technical authority on site, the Hydrologist will spearhead the experimental implementation of Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), transforming mature research into operational protocols and bridging the gap between scientific innovation and real-time flood forecasting. The position also involves mentoring junior staff and influencing future R&D directions through the Operations-to-Research (O2R) feedback loop.

• Spearhead R2O initiatives: lead the design, testing, and operational deployment of advanced hydrologic models and forecasting techniques (specifically FIRO) within the RFC environment.
• Strategic liaison: serve as the authoritative liaison between CIROH researchers, Lynker management, and Northwest RFC leadership; negotiate and align research capabilities with operational constraints.
• Model architecture & integration: oversee the technical integration of new modeling systems into the NWS Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS), ensuring robustness and reliability for critical public safety forecasts.
• Advanced analysis: direct high‑level data analysis and visualization efforts to validate model performance, ensemble forecast generation, and reservoir inflow predictions.

• Technical mentorship: act as a subject matter expert and mentor to junior hydrologists and forecasting staff, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.
• Workflow optimization: evaluate existing operational workflows and author recommendations for modernization that enhance efficiency and forecast accuracy.
• Publishing & thought leadership: lead the preparation of high-impact annual scientific reports and peer‑reviewed journal articles, and represent the project as a keynote or primary presenter at national scientific conferences.

• Education & Experience
  • A Ph.D. in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Atmospheric Science, or a related discipline, and 3+ years of experience; OR
  • A Master’s Degree in a related discipline with at least 7+ years of specialized professional experience in operational hydrology or hydrologic modeling.
• Operational systems expertise: deep technical proficiency with operational forecasting systems and hydrologic modeling suites (e.g., SAC‑SMA, HEFS, physically-based models).
• Advanced technical skills: expert-level capability in programming (Python, R) and data management for large-scale hydrologic datasets.
• Leadership capability: proven track record of leading complex technical projects, managing stakeholder relationships, and driving consensus across multi‑agency teams.

• Subject matter expertise: recognized authority in Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) or similar adaptive management strategies.
• Ensemble forecasting: extensive experience with hydrologic ensemble forecast services (HEFS), probabilistic verification, and risk-based decision support tools.
• Software engineering: familiarity with modern software development practices (version control, containerization) to streamline model deployment.
• Mentoring experience: demonstrated success in supervising or mentoring junior scientists, with specific examples of guiding professional development.

Research suggests that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds may self-select out of applying if they do not meet 100% of the listed requirements. At Lynker, we value the unique perspectives and specialized expertise you bring. If you meet the core education and experience requirements but are unsure about every item on the preferred…