Job Details

Graduate Research Assistant Position in Atmospheric Sciences

The Desert Research Institute and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invite applications for a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) position in Atmospheric Sciences to work with Dr. John Mejia and Dr. Eden Furtak-Cole. This is a fully funded four-year opportunity leading to a PhD graduate degree at UNR, with research conducted at DRI. The successful candidate will contribute to the ForgedFire Model, a next-generation, urban-resolving wildfireatmosphere modeling framework developed as part of the NSF funded FireScape NV project. The GRA will focus on developing and advancing the model's multiscale coupling (WRF-SFIRE ? Fire Dynamics Simulator) to better understand wildfire behavior, smoke dispersion, and fireatmosphereurban interactions across the wildlandurban interface (WUI).

Responsibilities:

• Develop and apply WRF-SFIRE simulations for fireatmosphere interactions.
• Implement and evaluate multiscale coupling between WRF-SFIRE and Fire Dynamics Simulator.
• Integrate urban morphology, fuel datasets, and atmospheric observations into model workflows.
• Analyze model performance using case studies and observational datasets.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and contribute to publications, digital twin tools, and scenario-based wildfire adaptation frameworks.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Atmospheric Sciences, Meteorology, Climate Science, Physics, Engineering or a closely related field.
• Background in numerical atmospheric modeling, with experience using WRF, FDS, or similar models.
• Familiarity with wildfire modeling, smoke dispersion, or computational fluid dynamics is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in programming (e.g., Python, Fortran, C/C++, Julia or similar) and data analysis.
• Ability to work independently and in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams.

Opportunity Highlights:

• Four-year fully funded GRA position with stipend, tuition, and health benefits.
• Cutting-edge research at the intersection of fire science, atmospheric modeling, and urban climate.
• Hands-on experience with advanced modeling frameworks, high-performance computing, and stakeholder-informed applications.
• Professional development through publications, conferences, and collaborations with agencies and research partners.

Application Process: Interested candidates should contact Dr. John Mejia (...@dri.edu) with a CV and a brief statement of research interests. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.