Postdoctoral Scholar Position in AI for Flash Drought Prediction

The Ecohydrology Group led by Dr. Yanlan Liu in the Department of Geography at UCLA seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ecohydrology, and Earth system science. The position is supported by the NSF Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG) program.

Research focus. The postdoc will develop interpretable deep-learning or hybrid modeling approaches to improve prediction of rapid-onset (“flash”) droughts and advance mechanistic understanding of how vegetation and atmospheric dynamics interactively regulate drought development. The project will integrate remote sensing, reanalysis, and land-surface/Earth system model outputs to identify controls on drought onset and intensification. A central objective is to use interpretable AI to diagnose vegetation–atmosphere feedbacks and other underlying mechanisms, and to translate these insights into improved benchmarking and representation of processes in Earth system models. Broader research directions include interpretable deep learning for seasonal-to-subseasonal drought prediction; explainable AI for identifying hydroclimate and vegetation feedbacks; hybrid or physics-informed integration of machine learning with land-surface models; and evaluation and improvement of model representations of land–atmosphere interactions.

Qualifications. Applicants must have a Ph.D. completed by the start date in Earth system science, hydrology, ecohydrology, atmospheric or climate science, environmental science, computer science, applied mathematics, statistics, or a related field. We particularly welcome candidates with expertise in some combination of: (1) hybrid, physics-informed, or process-guided machine learning; (2) Interpretable or explainable AI, machine learning, or deep learning for spatiotemporal data; (3) land-surface, hydrological, or Earth system modeling; and (4) analysis of large environmental datasets, including remote sensing, reanalysis, or model output.

Environment and appointment. The position is based in person at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Yanlan Liu’s Ecohydrology Group integrates process-based modeling, machine learning, remote sensing, and data–model integration to investigate vegetation–climate–hydrology interactions and ecosystem resilience. This is a two-year appointment with a flexible start date, anticipated around January 2027. Salary and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with UCLA policies.

How to apply. Please submit the following to https://forms.gle/Z63d4JSv1cKPPXuZ8.  (1) a cover letter describing research experience, interests, and fit for the position; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) up to three representative publications or manuscripts; and (4) contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin September 15, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. Questions may be directed to Dr. Yanlan Liu at yanlan@ucla.edu with the subject line “Postdoc application: AI for flash drought.”