Hydrology Data Scientist

ph3About the Role /h3 pRiverkin is a VC‑backed Swiss startup looking for a star hydrologist to join the team. Flash floods threaten thousands of people and cause millions in damage each year but trustworthy alerts are not possible to come by.

This is a real, under‑served problem where today’s forecasts break down, leaving first responders and municipalities exposed. /p h3What You’ll Do /h3 ul liBuild the first flash flood ML model ul liDefine and build the first version of the flash flood ML model, using sensor data we deploy ourselves and public data sources. /li liYou implement models, manage big data sets and monitor performance. /li liYou work with software engineer(s) to embed models into a scalable piece of software. /li liYou are the architect and choose the models, the sensors, and the architecture as we go. /li /ul /li liTranslate Business and Customer Needs into a Technical Roadmap ul liYou’ll partner directly with the founders to pull detailed needs out of clients and find the sweet spot between those needs and technical feasibility. /li liYou keep track of new developments in nowcasting and flood forecasting tools

and techniques and own an ambitious technical vision. /li liYou find the balance between scalable and pragmatic solutions, serving customers from day 1 while working towards a long‑term strategy. /li /ul /li liRepresent the team on all fronts ul liYou’re comfortable doing a sensor install on a Tuesday and a customer pitch on a Wednesday. /li liYou are supportive within the team, while standing up for what you believe is best for the customer or company strategy. /li liYou are an opinionated contributor to key strategic decisions in the company. /li /ul /li liCreate Clarity and Momentum ul liBring structure to ambiguous problems and drive them to execution. /li liMake decisions and move forward without waiting for perfect information. /li /ul /li /ul h3Who You Are /h3 ul liYou’re excited to solve flash flooding at the local scale. /li liYou want to build a company and you’re hungry to act

like a founder from day one. /li liYou want to have skin in the game. /li liYou enjoy being a hands‑on. /li liYou can take messy inputs and turn them into clear technical direction. /li liYou can move fast, but with enough structure to avoid future pain. /li liYou care deeply about building something that actually works in the real world. /li liAn excellent communicator, with strong written and verbal skills. /li /ul h3Technical Requirements /h3 ul liStrong experience applying ML tools (e.g.

LSTM) to hydrological problems (e.g. flooding). /li liExperience in bias correction of weather radar. /li liMSc or PhD in hydrology, water resources management, atmospheric sciences, or equivalent. /li liExperience working with real‑world data systems (gauges, GIS, satellite imagery, etc.). /li /ul h3Nice to Have /h3 ul liPrevious founder or early startup experience. /li /ul h3Role Details /h3 ul liCommitment: 100% FTE. /li liCompensation: Commensurate with experience + equity. /li liGrowth: this is a key early hire with the opportunity to build and lead Riverkin’s flash‑flood modelling function. /li liLocation: 4 days per week in Zurich office. /li /ul h3About Riverkin /h3 pWe are a well‑capitalized startup building real‑time sensing and data infrastructure for rivers.

Our own field‑deployed sensors collect live water‑level and sediment data, while our platform turns that data into decision‑ready insights for customers. We work across two core use cases: hydropower, where better sediment data can support flushing, asset protection and compliance; and flash‑flood risk, where local river data can help first responders and municipalities understand what is happening before conditions become critical. We are a small, hands‑on Swiss startup working across hydrology, hardware, field engineering, software and market development. /p pTo apply email a brief motivation and CV to /p /p