CIGIDEN R+ – Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Disaster Risk, Resilience and Recovery (ANID National Center of Interest)
The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Disaster Risk, Resilience and Recovery CIGIDEN R+ (www.cigiden.cl) is a multidisciplinary research center of excellence funded by the Chilean Agency for Research and Development, ANID. Its mission is to reduce disaster risk, promote resilience, and strengthen recovery processes in social and built environments exposed to multiple hazards, by integrating cutting-edge research with public policy and territorial action.
CIGIDEN R+ brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines—including Sociology, Urban Planning, Geography, Psychology, Engineering, and Geosciences—and is supported by a consortium of six Chilean universities: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (www.uc.cl), Universidad Católica del Norte (www.ucn.cl), Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (www.usm.cl), Universidad Andrés Bello (www.unab.cl), Universidad de Valparaíso (www.uv.cl), and Universidad de Concepción (www.udec.cl). The Center’s research team is primarily based in Santiago, Valparaíso, Antofagasta, and Concepción.
In a context characterized by earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as the increasing occurrence of climate-related disasters such as floods and wildfires, CIGIDEN R+ seeks to transform scientific knowledge into applied solutions that support improved decision-making and more integrated disaster risk management. Research is organized around five interconnected lines: Hazards, Infrastructure, Territories, Society, and Challenges, addressing topics ranging from multi-hazard risk assessment to governance and community participation.
The Postdoctoral Position
CIGIDEN R+ invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Position within our Hazards (H) Research Line. The Center operates as a «natural laboratory,» leveraging Chile’s unique exposure to extreme events to develop globally relevant, sustainable solutions for disaster risk reduction.
Chile is currently experiencing a shift where human and infrastructure losses from climate-driven events, such as floods and wildfires, are increasingly comparable to those caused by geohazards. This position seeks to bridge the gap between monitoring these disasters and proactively anticipating their consequences through advanced multi-hazard/risk modeling. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of an integrated hazard framework tailored for risk quantification. We seek a researcher capable of bridging the gap between high-impact geophysical events and increasingly frequent climate-driven phenomena.
Candidates should demonstrate expertise in at least one of the following core areas:
– Geophysical Hazards (Earthquakes/Tsunamis): Advancing physics-based and AI-driven models to improve understanding of seismic cycles, wave amplification in basins (Santiago, Concepción, Viña del Mar), and joint earthquake-tsunami intensity metrics.
– Climate-Driven Hazards (Floods/Wildfires): Implementing coupled climatic-oceanographic-hydrological models to assess compound hazards drivers—such as extreme winds and rainfall leading to coastal and riverine flooding, fire ignition potential, heat waves—within strategic watersheds between Biobío and Valparaíso/Metropolitan Regions in central-south Chile. High-resolution models will specifically target compound flooding within urban coastal inlets.
– Near Real-Time (NRT) Forecasting: Developing Bayesian and deep learning frameworks for rapid hazard intensity determination and damage estimation to support early warning systems and emergency response.
– Uncertainty Quantification (UQ): Establishing rigorous methods for UQ in cascading hazard models to provide actionable insights for decision-making.
Candidates will be encouraged to participate in the different outreach activities and programs of CIGIDEN R+ with the objective of transferring the scientific knowledge to different communities in the country, such as professionals and practitioners, and school students.
Requirements
• A PhD degree obtained within the last 3 years at the time of appointment, in Earth Sciences (Atmospheric/Environmental Sciences, Seismology, Geophysics, Hydrology, Oceanography), Civil / Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
• A demonstrated research trajectory, evidenced by scientific publications and/or presentations at academic or professional events.
• Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams.
• Autonomy, proactivity, and results-oriented work style.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Experience in numerical modeling and probabilistic hazard assessment.
• Proficiency in Data Science/AI (e.g., machine learning, deep neural networks) applied to natural hazards.
• Willingness to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration with the Infrastructure, Territories, and Society research lines to build a comprehensive multi-risk framework.
Position conditions
• Application deadline: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
• Expected start date: June 2026
• Appointment: full time and a maximum of 3 years, pending an internal yearly evaluation.
• Location: San Joaquín Campus, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
• Salary: gross monthly salary of $2.222.000 Chilean pesos.
Applications
To apply, please submit the following documentation:
• Letter of intent/motivation
• One page research proposal
• Extended CV with publications
• Digital archive of most relevant published WoS papers
• Two letters of recommendation.
The email message header should be titled Postdoctoral Research Position Hazards – CIGIDEN R+ and directed to Professors Rodrigo Cienfuegos (rcienfue@uc.cl) and Jorge Crempien (jocrempiend@uc.cl).
First selection of candidates will be conducted on the basis of the submitted application files. Candidates may also be invited for interview (via Zoom or if necessary).
For further information please contact Professor Jorge Crempien (jocrempiend@uc.cl).