Innovative, Climate-Resilient, and Cost-Effective Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems and Management in Rural Unincorporated Communities in the Alabama Black Belt
Cluster Hire | Postdoctoral Researchers
Start date: Spring 2025 (preferred) or Fall 2025
Duration: 1 year, with an opportunity for an extension to two more years, depending on performance and funding.
Project Description:
This is a large-scale multi-institutional project that seeks to implement innovative, cost-effective, and climate-resilient decentralized wastewater treatment systems and management strategies in the rural Alabama Black Belt, supported by multi-faceted workforce development programs aimed at reducing GHG emissions, protecting human and environmental health, and improving economic development opportunities. The Black Belt communities suffer from the confluence of rural poverty, a lack of available sewer, and shrink-swell clay soils that preclude the use of affordable onsite wastewater technologies. Therefore, onsite wastewater failures and “straight pipes” (surface discharge of raw sewage from homes) are common.
The project brings together an interdisciplinary team with expertise in water sector treatment and management, engineering, climate resilience, public health, governance, social equity, and policy. Further details about this project are included in these links:
https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/community-change-grants-sel…
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-…
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-…
Position and Duties:
We seek to hire at least four postdoctoral researchers to lead various aspects of this collaborative research effort between seven universities: Texas A&M University (Dr. Amal Bakchan), Princeton University (Dr. Jason Ren), University of Alabama (Dr. Mark Elliott), University of South Alabama (Dr. Kevin White), Auburn University (Dr. Mark Barnett), University of Alabama – Birmingham (Dr. Amy Chatham), and Arizona State University (Dr. Maura Allaire). Depending on their role in the project, the successful candidates may be based geographically at one of the universities while being directly advised or co-advised by faculty at another university.
The successful candidates will lead diverse components of the project in the broad areas of (1) evaluating and monitoring viable onsite climate-resilient wastewater treatment technologies, (2) evaluating and establishing appropriate responsible management and governance approaches for achieving systems sustainability, and (3) developing a robust climate-focused wastewater workforce development program. Activities could include field, laboratory, and modeling.
Qualifications:
• PhD in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Operations Research, Construction Management, Environmental Economics, Geography, Urban Planning, or a related field.
• The candidate should have knowledge and skills in one or more of the following topic areas:
o Wastewater management, treatment, reuse, and resource recovery
o Assessment of GHG emissions from wastewater treatment systems
o Water/wastewater utility operation, management, governance, and finance
o Socio-technical infrastructure systems, climate resilience, social equity, and/or workforce development
o Expertise in various data analysis methods, such as network optimization, statistics, spatiotemporal data analytics, and/or qualitative analysis approaches
• Interest in and ability to learn and work on an interdisciplinary project.
• Track record of producing high-quality, peer-reviewed scientific publications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Application Instructions:
These positions offer competitive salary and benefits. Review of applications will begin on October 1, 2024, and continue until the positions are filled. To apply, all application material must be submitted as a single PDF through the following link:
https://forms.gle/K3RUQhC67aKNEVJM8.
The application packet should include (1) a cover letter describing your interest in the position and relevant experience (considering the five bulleted topic areas mentioned above), (2) your current CV, (3) contact information of three references, and (4) a PDF of one journal article of what you believe is your best published research.
Please contact Dr. Amal Bakchan (the project lead PI) at bakchanhiring@gmail.com for additional information about the positions, with the subject line “Prospective Postdoc – Community Change Project”.