The Schmitt Lab for River System Science and Sustainability (RS3) at UC Santa Barbara is recruiting a PhD student to join the Fall 2027 cohort of the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.
I’m looking for candidates excited about one or more of these areas:
- fluvial processes such as sediment transport and hydrology
- interactions between rivers, hillslopes, and floodplains, especially under change
- the goods and services rivers provide to people
- strategic planning and operation of river infrastructure on network scales
I’m particularly looking for candidates who are interested in river system science, i.e., studying rivers as connected systems rather than from a single perspective. This includes understanding how rivers interact with the wider Earth system, and recognizing that rivers and society form closely coupled human–natural systems that must be studied together to develop sustainable solutions. Candidates are very welcome to propose their own research ideas within this framework.
Background: Candidates may come from many fields, including hydrology, civil and environmental engineering, geomorphology, and geology. Candidates from other disciplines, such as computer science, may also be well suited.
Qualifications: Curiosity, strong numerical and coding skills, a track record in scientific research (ideally including publications), and the self-motivation to define and execute a five-year research agenda.
What we offer: Admission through the Bren School’s PhD program, one of the leading environmental science and management programs in the country. Students join a lively PhD cohort and have strong opportunities for intramural fellowships and funding. Funding packages at Bren typically combine teaching assistantships and research fellowships; details will be discussed with prospective candidates. The RS3 lab is growing and takes part in several interdisciplinary research programs, which opens up collaborations across universities.
How to apply: Interested candidates should email me at rschmitt@ucsb.edu, ideally by [date], with the subject line “PhD RS3 – [Last name]”. Please include a CV, a short statement of research interests (1 page), and a writing sample or publication. Formal applications to the Bren PhD program are due December 16, 2026; details at https://bren.ucsb.edu/phd-environmental-science-and-management/phd-admissions
