Job Description

The Chair of Hydraulic ENgineering offers a student assistant position (HiWi) for 10–20 hours per week over 6 months (extension possible). The position is related to research on river hydraulics, stream temperature, and aquatic habitats. Tasks include data analysis, remote sensing, and numerical modeling of river systems.

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Context

Under prolonged low-flow conditions and extreme heat events – both expected to increase under climate change – aquatic ecosystems face rising stress. Elevated river water temperatures and declining dissolved oxygen levels threaten fish populations and aquatic biodiversity. This creates an urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions in water resources management and river engineering.



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Project 1 – EU-Life Project “Contempo2”

The project develops an innovative environmental flow management concept for hydropower-regulated river stretches at the Lech (north of Augsburg). Existing and newly created floodplain streams will be reconnected to the river, serving as cool-water refuges and habitats due to shading and groundwater interactions. Flow regulation within these channels and the river aim to ensure ecological integrity (hydraulics, water temperature, dissolved oxygen) even under projected climate conditions.



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Project 2 – Environmental Flow Study

At the same Lech reach, a 1:1 physical experiment investigates habitat conditions (shear stress, water depth, flow velocity, temperature, dissolved oxygen) under different discharges, to determine flow scenarios that provide optimal aquatic habitats.

Methods & Tasks

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Data Analysis

Analysis of water temperature patterns from logger time series across the river reach
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Remote Sensing

Generation of orthophotos and digital elevation models from UAV-based data Processing, correction and geospatial/geostatistical analysis of stream temperature from UAV-based thermal infrared imagery
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Modeling

1D/2D hydraulic and water temperature modeling based on logger and UAV-based data Habitat modeling (quantity & quality) based on hydraulic and thermal conditions

Desired Profile

Master student in Environmental Engineering / Civil Engineering or related fields, with a background in hydraulic engineering / water resources management Interest and/or experience with geospatial and geostatistical analysis (QGIS / ArcGIS) Interest and/or experience in numerical modeling Skills in data analysis with Python and/or MATLAB
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Workload and Duration: 10–20 hours/week, initially for 6 months (extension possible)

Application

If you are interested in the position, please send a short email to

nicolas.gamarra@tum.deincluding your CV and your transcript of records (grade reporting).

Kontakt: nicolas.gamarra@tum.de