Who we are: First Street is the industry standard for physical climate risk data. We use transparent and peer-reviewed methodologies to calculate the past, present, and future climate risk for every property in the world. We started eight years ago by working with the world’s leading climate scientists to create groundbreaking, climate-adjusted, property specific models and haven’t stopped.
Our mission: We exist to connect climate change to financial risk
Our data: We create physics-based, deterministic models of flooding, wildfire and hurricanes, and advanced statistical models of extreme heat, air quality, drought, hail, severe convective storms, winter storms, and more. All of this data is used to create property-level financial risk metrics and macroeconomic variables to quantify the impacts of climate change.
Our customers: We empower governments at the highest levels to make smart regulations, businesses to avoid bad investments, and everyday Americans to understand their personal risk from climate change. We are relied on every day by:
Agencies ranging from the U.S. Department of Treasury to Fannie Mae
The world's biggest banks such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo
Institutional investors like Nuveen and Blackstone
Millions of users on Redfin, Realtor.com, Homes.com, and more
We believe: Our work needs to match the pace and scope of the climate problem. This is why we have invested tens of millions of dollars into our science, data, people, and products and have raised tens of millions more to move even faster. Read more about our culture here.
Come join us and use your talents to create solutions to address humanity's biggest problem.
Team & Role Overview:
We are looking for a Hydrological Scientist with a specialization in flood analysis and modeling to join our team. This person will need to have several years of postdoctoral professional experience and the ability to lead projects independently.
What you’ll do:
Conduct hydrological analysis and modeling to evaluate extreme flood events and their impacts.
Develop models for extreme events addressing regional flood frequency, precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) relationships, and water level frequency analysis.
Develop and operate the First Street Flood Model to produce high-resolution hazard maps at national and regional scales.
Innovate and implement new methodologies to enhance flood model performance and assess flood risks with high spatial resolution.
Oversee model production processes, including quality control and ongoing evaluation/validation.
Identify, acquire, and integrate new data inputs and methodologies into the First Street Flood Model to improve accuracy and usability.
Manage workflows for model and data processing using commercial cloud platforms and local cluster computing resources.
What you’ll need:
An advanced degree (e.g., M.S. or Ph.D.) in hydrology, water resources engineering, or a related field.
Strong foundation in understanding and modeling hydrological cycles and extreme events enhanced by climate change.
Strong knowledge of probability, statistics, and extreme value analysis related to precipitation and flood frequency.
Strong experience in handling and analyzing time series data and gridded weather variable datasets.
Strong knowledge of climate projection data such as CMIP6
Demonstrated experience in flood modeling and risk assessment.
Proficiency in big data analysis, high-capacity processing workflows, machine learning, and cloud computing.
Advanced programming skills using both compiled and scripted languages (e.g., Python, Matlab, UNIX shell, C++, Fortran, SQL) and GIS software (e.g., QGIS, ArcGIS).
Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
What will make you stand out:
Skills/Experience in developing large-scale extreme value models.
Skills/Experience in modeling inland, coastal, and/or compound flooding events.
Skills/Experience in creating satellite-based flood inundation maps for validation and calibration purposes.
Experience authoring peer-reviewed scientific publications
How we work:
Impact: We only focus on things that move the needle
Drive: We are driven by the role we play in connecting climate change to financial risk
Ownership: This is our company and we act accordingly
Urgency: We move quickly because the world depends on it
Resilience: We have a growth mindset in all that we do
What we offer:
Competitive salary commensurate with experience
Ownership interest in the company via Employee Stock Option Plan
Hybrid Schedule with in-office work days on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
15 vacation days along with 13 company holidays and 10 sick days
Health benefits covered at 100% for employee or a significant contribution for family plans
Vision and dental benefits with partial employee contribution
12 weeks of paid parental leave
Access to One Medical, Teledoc, HealthAdvocate, Kindbody, and Talkspace
Company 401k program
Commuter benefits
Life Insurance
Tech startup environment
Weekly team meals and an office stocked with coffee and snacks
Working on the world’s biggest issue with other passionate professionals
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
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At First Street, we're on a mission to connect climate change with financial risk, and we're looking for a passionate Hydrologist to join our New York City team. In this role, you'll utilize your expertise in hydrology to analyze and model extreme flood events, developing innovative methodologies that enhance our First Street Flood Model. With a strong foundation in predicting flood frequency and precipitation patterns, you'll create detailed hazard maps at both national and regional scales. Your work will significantly contribute to a deep understanding of how climate change impacts flood risks, helping decision-makers, institutions, and everyday Americans make informed choices. As a Hydrologist, you will lead independent projects, conduct rigorous analysis, oversee model production processes, and integrate new data inputs to improve accuracy—all while collaborating with a dedicated team of professionals who share your commitment to addressing one of humanity's biggest challenges. If you have an advanced degree, a robust background in flood modeling, and a passion for driving change in climate risk assessment, we invite you to explore this exciting opportunity with us!
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