Researcher - AI for Agricultural Water Management (Globally Recruited) at International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

The Researcher - AI for Agricultural Water Management will lead the design, development, and deployment of AI models for water management applications while ensuring scalability. The incumbent will collaborate with stakeholders and interdisciplinary teams to translate research into practical solutions and contribute to the advancement of data-driven decision-making tools for sustainable water resources.
This role is ideal for a technically skilled AI professional with expertise in machine learning, cloud computing, MLOps, and AI deployment within the field of hydrology and/or agricultural water management.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
AI Model Development & Technical Implementation;

• Develop machine learning, forecasting, and generative AI models for hydrology and environmental applications
• Work with large-scale geospatial, hydrological, and sensor datasets to improve predictive capabilities
• Optimize cloud-based AI workflows using AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Deploy AI solutions for water data processing, risk analysis, and sustainability modeling

Data Science & Open Data Integration;

• Support the integration of AI models into IWMI's open data platforms and digital infrastructure
• Work with remote sensing, GIS, and hydrological models to enhance AI-driven decision support systems
• Ensure FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) are applied in all AI solutions

Collaboration & Research Advancement;

• Work closely with data engineers, hydrologists, and policymakers to develop impactful AI-driven tools
• Mentor early career researchers and data scientists in best practices for AI and cloud-based data science
• Contribute to scientific publications, funding proposals, and strategic research initiatives

Requirements

Essential:

• PhD in AI, Data Science, Machine Learning, Hydrology, or closely related field, coupled with a minimum of 5 years of relevant post-doctoral experience; OR Master's degree in the aforementioned fields, with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience
• Strong experience in AI & ML (forecasting, Generative AI, LLMs, NLP, predictive modelling)
• Experience deploying AI solutions in real-world projects & industries
• Technical leadership experience including guiding small teams in AI/ML implementation

Desirable:

• Experience with AI for remote sensing & IoT data

Essential:

• Proficiency in Python & AI frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, OpenAI APIs, Hugging Face)
• Understanding of digital twins, GIS, and environmental AI applications
• Expertise in Cloud computing (Azure ML, AWS, Databricks, Docker, MLFlow)