Five fully-funded PhD student positions

Multiple PhD positions are available in Ebrahimian’s research group at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University (FIU). One position will be primarily based in the Department of Earth and Environment. These are fully funded (tuition, stipend, and health insurance) positions starting as early as Spring 2025. Successful applicants will also receive travel support to attend national conferences. Projects are federally funded and focus on areas including, but not limited to, watershed modeling (hydrology and water quality), and identification, characterization, distribution, and fate of emerging and traditional pollutants in stormwater (e.g., microplastics, sediments, and nutrients) from urban and coastal watersheds. Additionally, projects will explore flood and pollution mitigation strategies using gray and green stormwater infrastructure. Research methods include sensor-based field monitoring, laboratory experiments, hydrologic and water quality modeling, image processing, and AI (machine learning and deep learning) techniques. Successful applicants will work with a cross-disciplinary group of engineers and scientists from the Institute of Environment (https://environment.fiu.edu/) and Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences (https://www.cis.fiu.edu/) in collaboration with various governmental and non-governmental organizations and industrial partners.

General requirements: All positions need an MS degree with research thesis but strong candidates with BS degrees will also be considered. Professional writing, presentation, and communication skills are also required.

Position 1: Watershed modeling

Requirements: Demonstrated experience in watershed-scale, hydrologic and water quality modeling using SWAT and other tools considering surface water and groundwater interactions. GIS and programming (e.g., Python) skills. MS and BS in civil/environmental/water resources engineering or related areas.

Position 2: Green stormwater infrastructure

Requirements: Ability to work in the field and proficiency in using tools for field installations. Demonstrated experience in water and soil sampling, sensor-based monitoring, and associated data analysis related to surface water, groundwater, and/or soil systems (preferably green stormwater infrastructure). Understanding of unsaturated zone hydrology, soil hydraulic characteristics, and pollutants in stormwater runoff. MS and BS in civil/environmental/water resources engineering or related areas. 

Desired (but not required) skills: Experience with microplastics in water and/or soil systems. Programming and stormwater modeling skills. Experience in surface/subsurface hydrologic modeling.

Position 3: AI-based particle image processing

Requirements: Strong programming skills in Python. Strong background in deep learning and machine learning methods. Demonstrated experience in particle image processing, pattern recognition, and/or application of deep learning/machine learning in image-based geo-environmental or material problems. MS and BS in geo/materials sciences/engineering or related areas.

Desired (but not required) skills: Understanding of unsaturated porous media characteristics in green stormwater infrastructure or other geo-environmental problems.

Position 4: Microplastics in stormwater

Requirements: Demonstrated experience in microplastic sampling, processing, and detection methodologies to assess source, distribution, or fate and transport of microplastics in freshwater systems. Laboratory work experience for sample processing and microplastics analysis using analytical techniques, including FTIR/Raman spectroscopy, epifluorescence microscopy, and particle size characterization. MS and BS in bio/geo/chemistry sciences or related areas.

Note: This position will be primarily based at FIU’s Department of Earth and Environment.

Position 5: Greenhouse gas emissions from soil-water-plant systems

Requirements: Deep understanding of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide and methane) emission processes, dynamics, and drivers in soil-plant systems. Demonstrated field, laboratory, and/or modeling experience with the measurement and/or analysis of GHG emissions from soil-plant systems. Introductory GIS and programming (e.g., Python) skills. MS and BS in geo-environmental engineering/sciences or related areas.

Desired (but not required) skills: Experience with field measurements of GHG emission from green stormwater infrastructure. Expertise in analysis or simulation of unsaturated porous media in green stormwater infrastructure or geo-environmental problems.

Please read the following instructions carefully and apply, if interested and qualified. 

If you are qualified and highly interested, please immediately send a single pdf containing the following documents to Dr. Ali Ebrahimian as email attachment (alebrahi@fiu.edu): 1) CV (including graduation dates and GPAs for MS and BS, list of publications, technical skills including programming and software, and breakdown of TOEFL/IELTS scores for international applicants), and 2) unofficial copies of BS and MS transcripts. Subject line of the email must be “PhD application Spring 2025 Position #”. Please carefully follow the instructions, include the position number in the subject line, and do not include links or multiple attachments in your email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.