Internship / MSc Thesis Opportunity: AI and Machine Learning for Water Resources Management
At Acacia Water, we work on sustainable water solutions in regions where data availability is often limited. Through our Research & Development (R&D) programme Data4Impact, we explore how emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), remote sensing, and Earth observation data can support better water management and impact monitoring.
We are looking for an enthusiastic MSc student or intern interested in the intersection of hydro(geo)logy, AI/ML, and data science to help identify and test innovative applications relevant to Acacia Water’s projects worldwide.
Assignment
The exact scope of the internship/thesis will be defined together with the student based on mutual interests and ongoing project needs. The work is expected to consist of two parts:
- Inventory of AI/ML opportunities for water projects
Review current and emerging AI/ML applications relevant to water resources management and assess their potential value for Acacia Water projects. Topics may include groundwater assessment, hydrological modelling, drought monitoring, impact assessment, remote sensing applications, and AI-enhanced hydrological models. - Development of a pilot application
Select and test one promising application in a real-world case study.
One potential topic is:
Machine Learning for Groundwater Discharge Estimation
- Challenge: Limited discharge observations in many project areas.
- Approach: Develop and test ML models (e.g. Random Forest) using GIS layers, hydrogeological information, and satellite datasets (e.g., Alpha Earth).
- Objective: Improve groundwater discharge estimation in data-scarce regions.
Other topics may include AI-supported hydrological modelling, groundwater recharge estimation, remote sensing for impact monitoring, or innovative AI applications proposed by the student.
Who are we looking for?
MSc students in: Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Sciences, GIS & Remote Sensing, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence.
Preferred skills:
- Interest in water resources and environmental applications.
- Programming experience (Python, R, GEE, etc.)
- Familiarity with GIS, remote sensing, and concepts of AI/machine learning.
The internship is offered by the R&D team of Acacia Water and is part of the R&D topic ‘Data4Impact’. Within this topic we focus on innovative, cost-effective solutions for operating in data-scarce environments, e.g. by making smart use of satellite imagery and other open-source data. You will work closely with hydrologists, groundwater and remote sensing specialist.
Interested?
Send your resume and motivation letter to Natalia Uribe at natalia.uribe@acaciawater.com.
If you have any questions about the internship, feel free to contact Natalia by email.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the vacancy remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. Start date and duration of the internship can be determined in mutual agreement, preferably starting as soon as possible.
