Research Scientist Associate — Sustainable Agriculture & Water

New Mexico State University's Water Resources Research Institute is hiring a Research Scientist Associate to strengthen agricultural water resilience in the Northern Rio Grande and San Juan basins. The role connects hydrology, geospatial science, community knowledge, systems modeling, and regional planning to help agricultural communities respond to drought and climate variability. What you will do • Lead assigned research activities, milestones, and technical deliverables • Work directly with farmers, acequia associations, Tribal Nations, pueblos, irrigation districts, and other partners • Co-develop and evaluate regional water-management strategies that support agricultural productivity and long-term resilience • Conduct geospatial analysis, remote sensing, hydrologic modeling, and water-budget analysis • Collect, analyze, and integrate environmental, hydrologic, and social data • Build watershed models, visualizations, and decision-support tools for communities and planners • Mentor graduate students and prepare technical reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications • Help develop external proposals and travel within New Mexico for fieldwork and partner meetings Qualifications A bachelor's degree in a related field plus five years of professional experience is required. The successful candidate should be able to coordinate collaborative research, communicate with scientific and community audiences, manage technical work, and contribute to publications and funding proposals. This is a full-time, externally funded, exempt position with a standard Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. schedule. Salary is commensurate with experience. Some travel and light lifting are required. Apply through NMSU's official site by August 20, 2026.