SFEI Job Announcement
Water Quality Modeler (nutrients, estuaries)
Requisition Number: CW 12-14
Deadline: Applications are requested prior to February 5, 2015, however the position will
remain open until filled.
The San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) is seeking a Water Quality Modeler at the senior
researcher level to develop water quality models and carry out modeling investigations related to
nutrient loads, transformations/cycling, and ecosystem response in San Francisco Bay. Modeling
work will be carried out in support of the San Francisco Bay Nutrient Management Strategy
(NMS), http://sfbaynutrients.sfei.org/, which is the overarching plan guiding a multi-year science
program. The strategy includes modeling, monitoring, and special studies to explore the impacts
of nutrients in San Francisco Bay, and identify effective management options.
This is a full-time position for a researcher with a PhD or masters degree in environmental
science, environmental engineering, or biological/chemical oceanography, and extensive water
quality modeling experience, specifically related to nutrients and ecosystem response. Model
development and application will be carried out in collaboration with researchers at USGS, UC
Berkeley, Deltares, and other academic and research institutions in the region. The successful
applicant will collaborate with hydrodynamic modelers, and will lead a multi-year program to
develop and apply water quality models in San Francisco Bay.
The ideal candidate will have:
 Excellent oral and written communication skills
 Demonstrated ability and experience working with a broad range of collaborators,
managers, and stakeholders
 Experience with fundraising, project management, and managing entry and mid-level
scientists
 A team player instinct
To Apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to resumes@sfei.org. Please reference the
requisition number you are applying for. No phone calls please. For more information on our
mission, values, programs, staff, and employee benefits package, please visit the San Francisco
Estuary Institute web site (www.sfei.org).
About SFEI
SFEI’s mission is to use scientific understanding to protect and enhance the environment of the
San Francisco Bay-Delta and California. Our science supports environmental decision making
and management across the state, informing policy-makers, resource managers, stakeholders,
scientists, and the broader public about water quality, watershed management, and ecosystem
health.
About SFEI’s Clean Water Program:
SFEI’s Clean Water Program is one of the nation’s premier water quality science programs. It
anticipates and meets the water quality data needs of policy-makers, resource managers, and the
public. It helps the public, regulators, and those who discharge into our waters create more
effective policies to ensure the health of our waters. The Clean Water Program consists of
several programs and initiatives:
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The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (Bay RMP) —
Now in its 22nd year, the RMP is the flagship of the Clean Water Program. The RMP is a
model program to present decision makers with the best available science on pollution in
San Francisco Bay. The RMP combines high quality science, forward planning, public
forums, and the delivery of clear and actionable data to watershed managers and the public.
SFEI has helped develop the Delta RMP to inform better policy-making for Delta water
quality, and is about to begin the first year of monitoring to provide the science to drive
lower-cost, more efficient and effective regulations. This science will benefit the Delta’s
many users, from farmers to fisherman, boaters to residents.
SFEI is the scientific lead for the San Francisco Bay Nutrient Strategy, to address the most
complex and costly issue confronting the wastewater treatment community since the Clean
Water Act mandated secondary treatment 40 years ago.
Our Green Chemistry research fills critical needs of agencies involved in efforts to prevent
pollution by advising manufacturers about safer options.
The Green Infrastructure initiative provides scientific support and innovative tools for longterm planning of water infrastructure upgrades to achieve green alternatives, improved water quality,
and sustainability.