Ph.D Position in Evaluating and Modeling Best Management Practices

Start reviewing process: 5 September 2026

About the role

The Valappil research group in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Penn State is seeking a motivated Ph.D. student for a fully-funded position starting in Spring 2027. The project evaluates Best Management Practices (BMPs) through integrated field monitoring and ecohydrological modeling. The position includes stipend, tuition, and health insurance support.

Responsibilities

• Conduct field-based research focusing on water quality and soil monitoring.
• Develop and enhance hydrological models (SWAT) to represent BMPs such as riparian buffers.
• Engage with stakeholders, including work with Penn State Extension to interact with landowners and develop outreach products.

Requirements

• M.S. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Civil Engineering, or related fields in natural resources engineering.
• Background in field/lab-based water quality assessment, data analysis, and hydrological modeling.
• Strong knowledge in one or more of the following: ecohydrology, water quality, agricultural/urban BMPs, process-based hydrological modeling, watershed management.
• Programming skills in one or more languages (R, Matlab, Python, etc.).
• Proficiency in oral and written English communication.

Benefits

• Fully-funded position with stipend, tuition, and health insurance support.

For questions or if you do not have a Gmail account to access the interest form, contact Dr. Femeena Pandara Valappil at femeena@psu.edu.