water science jobs

The School of Energy and Environment was established at City University of Hong Kong in July 2009 with the mission to drive interdisciplinary research and education in sustainability, energy, environment, and climate to cultivate visionary leaders and deliver solutions for a rapidly decarbonizing, resilient future. For details of the School of Energy and Environment, please visit the website at http://www.cityu.edu.hk/see.

The School of Energy and Environment is recruiting leading scholars committed to making impactful contributions to fundamental and applied research. We are seeking colleagues with a vision for change who understand the importance of educating the next generation of environmental leaders and researchers, influencing public policy, and shaping international agendas.

We invite applications for multiple substantiation-track faculty positions (Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Professor/Chair Professor) in either Climate Science or Nature-based Solutions (NbS). These are distinct faculty positions, and candidates may apply to the area that best aligns with their expertise.

Climate Science: priority areas include extreme weather and climate events, with particular interest in tropical cyclones/typhoons and other hazards highly relevant to Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area; high-resolution regional climate modelling and dynamical/statistical downscaling; event attribution and climate-risk analytics; compound coastal, pluvial and fluvial flooding; climate impacts, adaptation and resilience; ocean-atmosphere interactions; monsoon and hydroclimate variability; and data science, AI and observing systems for climate prediction and early warning.

Nature-based Solutions: priority areas include science-led NbS for climate adaptation and resilience in dense coastal cities; restoration, creation and management of wetlands, rivers, mangroves, shorelines and other blue-green infrastructure; urban greening, cooling and stormwater management; biodiversity enhancement and ecosystem services; ecological engineering and performance monitoring; and policy, governance, finance and implementation pathways for mainstreaming NbS in urban development. We are particularly interested in candidates whose research can support Hong Kong’s emerging NbS agenda to integrate urban development, ecological conservation, biodiversity enhancement and climate resilience.

These substantiation-track positions support the strategic development of the School of Energy and Environment. Across both areas, the School has a particular interest in candidates who leverage advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital twins, Earth observation, robotics, autonomous sensing and big-data analytics to address pressing climate and environmental challenges. In addition, the School welcomes research that involves field observation, laboratory experimentation and/or theoretical modeling.

The successful candidates are expected to develop a vigorous, externally funded research program and provide excellence in teaching at all levels. The successful candidates are encouraged to collaborate with colleagues from other disciplines within the School of Energy and Environment to conduct interdisciplinary research and educational activities to advance the strategic research areas of City University of Hong Kong. For example, the School collaborates with the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health (https://www.cityu.edu.hk/sklmeh/) to pursue interdisciplinary studies related to ocean science and water research.

Duties

Conduct international quality research and develop new research directions. Teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and supervise research students at master and doctoral levels. Contribute creatively and professionally in the School, and for the benefit of the community and industry. The appointees will also be assigned administrative duties to facilitate the development of the School activities.

Requirements

A PhD in a closely related discipline with a strong research record in terms of grants, publications, and/or patents, along with demonstrated teaching ability.

Candidates for Chair Professor and Professor should have outstanding research track records and an international reputation in the field and demonstrated academic leadership experience.

Candidates for Associate Professor should have a sustained record of high-impact publications and successful grant acquisition and should demonstrate the ability to lead and develop an independent research program.

Candidates for Assistant Professor should have demonstrated potential for high-impact publication and competitive grant capture. Increasingly, candidates at this level may already possess several high-quality publications and early grant success; such achievements are welcome and will be duly considered in the evaluation process.

Candidates are encouraged to describe their contributions or plans to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia, and their engagement with societal or policy impact.

Salary and Conditions of Service

Remuneration package will be driven by market competitiveness and individual performance. Excellent fringe benefits include gratuity, leave, medical and dental schemes, and relocation assistance (where applicable). Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term contract.

Information and Application

Further information on the posts and the University is available at http://www.cityu.edu.hk, or from the School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (email : seedean@cityu.edu.hk).

To apply, please submit an online application and include a cover letter, with the curriculum vitae, a detailed research plan (3 pages maximum), a teaching philosophy statement and plan (2 pages maximum), as well as a list of three referees. Nominations can be sent directly to the School of Energy and Environment (email: seedean@cityu.edu.hk). Review of applications will start from 7 August 2026, and will continue until the posts are filled. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted; and those shortlisted for the post of Assistant Professor will be requested to arrange for at least 2 reference reports sent directly by the referees to the Department, specifying the position applied for. The University's privacy policy is available on the homepage.