Recruitment of early career scientists for hydrological modelling positions: implications for model progress

Hydrological models play a key role in contemporary hydrological scientific research. For this study, 400+ scientific hydrological vacancies were analyzed, to evaluate whether the job description already prescribed which model must be used, and whether experience with a specific model was an asset. Of the analysed job positions, 76%  involved at least some modelling. Of the PhD positions that involved any modelling, the model is already prescribed in the vacancy text in 17%  of the cases, for postdoc positions this was 30%. A small questionnaire revealed that also beyond the vacancies where the model is already prescribed, in many Early-Career Scientist (ECS) projects the model to be used is pre-determined and, actually, also often used without further discussion. There are valid reasons to pre-determine the model in these projects, but at the same time, this can have long-term consequences for the ECS: experience with the model will influence the research identity the ECS is developing, and might influence future opportunities of the ECS - it might be strategic to gain experience with popular, broadly used models, or to become part of an efficient modelling team. This serves an instrumental vision on modelling. Seeing models as hypotheses calls for a more critical evaluation. We can educate ECS the current rules of the game, while at the same time actively stimulate critically questioning these rules.