Call for Academic Position: Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Systems – Faculty of Engineering, Water Resources and Data Science

Tipo de planta académica: Regular Academic Track

Employment: Full time

The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Systems (FASN) and School of Engineering of UC Chile, one of the leading academic institutions in Latin America, invites outstanding candidates to apply for full-time academic position as an assistant or associate professor, for the development of undergraduate and graduate teaching, research and extension in the area of Water Resources and Data Science. The Academic will develop his/her activities as a joint position between the program of Natural Resources and the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (DIHA).

1. Justification:

The Natural Resources Engineering program is an undergraduate and professional training program that seeks to train people in the management of natural resources seeking in graduates the following dimensions:

• Evidence-based decision-making.
• Sustainable Management of Natural Resources.
• Climate change.
• Risk Management and Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Social, Environmental and Territorial Dimensions.

The opening of this academic position responds to the need for a multidisciplinary approach to propose solutions to the effects of climate change and water scarcity worldwide. There is a growing demand for professionals capable of analyzing and managing water systems using data analysis tools and evidence-based decisions.

The joint hiring of a professor in the Faculty of Agronomy and Natural Systems and the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering seeks to strengthen multidisciplinary teaching and research, promoting collaboration between the natural and engineering sciences. In addition, the academic should develop new subjects related to water resources and data science, to train a new generation of professionals capable of proposing innovative and socially relevant solutions in both public and private contexts.

2. Duties

The main duties are high-quality teaching (at undergraduate and graduate levels) and conducting research, both independently and in collaboration with academics from both academic units. Other duties include serving as a link to society through the transfer of knowledge, dissemination, and continuous training, as well as providing advice to students and performing university management tasks according to their academic category. The ideal candidate will combine knowledge of water resources with technology and data science. In addition, the candidate must have experience, or a commitment to develop, a link between water resources and their interaction with society.

Teaching

At the undergraduate level, the candidate must develop teaching activities in both the FASN and the DIHA. Thus, the candidate must be able to teach undergraduate courses on water resources. At the graduate level, the candidate will be required to teach an advanced course that combines water resources and data science. In general, the candidate will need to teach at least three courses per year. Undergraduate courses must be in Data Science and Water Resources, and Statistics. An advanced course in Data Science and Water Resources is also expected; all courses must be taught in Spanish. The candidate is expected to show proactivity and willingness to work in a team, train and supervise postgraduate students (master’s and doctorate) in both Faculties.

Research

The selected person is expected to lead a research program within the area of the call, being responsible for obtaining funds (national and/or international), planning research activities, generating scientific publications, training graduate students, and collaborating with researchers from both faculties. The applicant will have the opportunity and must be willing to work in collaboration with other Departments of both Faculties. The following are some examples of areas of development that would be very welcome:

1. Data-intensive research (DIR) in sociohydrology.
2. DIR in hydrology, focused on climate change.
3. DIR in public policies on water resources management.
4. Development of software related to the analysis of data on water resources.

Links with society

The selected person is expected to develop links with the community and support the technology transfer of the products developed during the research, in accordance with the standards established by the UC Chile, and to carry out applied projects with public and private entities.

UC Chile is committed to equal opportunities, to building an inclusive, diverse, fraternal community, and to promoting the academic development of women and men.

1. Hold a PhD degree at the time of hiring, specializing in one of the following disciplines: Water Resources Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Sciences, Hydrology, Meteorology or a related field, with an emphasis on water resources and data science.
2. Demonstrated track record of developing or advancing the use of data science with applications in water resources.
3. Programming proficiency (Python and/or R) with experience in environmental and water flow modeling, focusing on water resource management, is required.
4. Proficiency in English is a prerequisite.

Previous experience in teaching and research, having directed or participated in research and development projects, and having an experimental/technological approach based on the fundamentals of the discipline will be positively valued. Previous postdoctoral or international academic experience must be indicated in the application.

In the event that foreigners are selected for the position, they must obtain the corresponding visa in their country of residence, in order to join the teaching staff of the University. Candidates are not required to be fluent in Spanish at the time of application, but they must be prepared to learn the language well enough to teach in Spanish in the short term (two years maximum).

Applicants must send the following documents to Rodrigo Figueroa: rfe@uc.cl. In the email subject indicate: Academic Call in Water Resources and Data Science

1. Research Statement (in English or Spanish), with a maximum length of up to three pages, indicating the immediate and long-term objectives of the applicant's research plan and detailing potential collaboration networks with other researchers and plans for interaction with scientists in Chile and other countries.
2. Statement of teaching purpose (in English or Spanish), with a maximum length of up to two pages, indicating why the applicant should be considered for the position and the plans for teaching. The applicant should be as specific as possible by providing examples of the plan for transferring knowledge to undergraduate and graduate students.
3. Abbreviated curriculum vitae of up to three pages (in English or Spanish), not including details of publications.
4. List of publications in indexed scientific journals.
5. Three letters of recommendation with the names and contact information (email and telephone) of academics who can accurately describe the strengths and characteristics of the candidate. Keep in mind that they may be contacted by the selection committee during the process.
6. Ideally, a link to your personal GitHub, GitLab, or other account that shows public code contributions.
7. Digitized copies of degrees and degrees.

• Application Deadline: August 1 – September 30, 2025
• Availability: beginning of the academic semester of 2026 (January - March).
• A person of foreign nationality without permanent residence in the country or who applies from abroad, if selected for the position, will then need to process their visa in their country of origin to join the academic staff of the UC.