Author: Kristina Potočki

Field measurements were conducted at the Sava River bridge in Zagreb on 4 March 2026 as part of the ongoing activities within the SERIOUS project. Measurements were carried out using the ScourBuoy device, which enables monitoring of riverbed changes and precise positioning during fieldwork.  The collected data will support further hydrological and hydraulic analyses, and their influence on local scour processes.

Fran Vuić is our newly employed Research Assistant and PhD Candidate at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Hydroscience and Engineering. Born and raised in Zagreb, he earned his MSc in Civil Engineering from the same institution, where he continues to build his academic and research career. His work is primarily focused on hydrology, particularly flood analysis, synthetic design hydrographs, and the impacts of climate change on water-related processes. His previous experience includes data processing for marine hydrographic surveying, as well as GIS-related work on the development of the Green Infrastructure Registry of the Republic of Croatia. He is particularly interested in statistical analysis, GIS, and hydrological modelling. 

PhD CANDIDATE POSITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Department of Hydroscience and Engineering
Project: SERIOUS (IP-2024-05-1497 – HRZZ)
Mentor: Assoc. Prof. Kristina Potočki

The University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Hydroscience and Engineering is opening a PhD candidate / research assistant position within the Croatian Science Foundation project: “Synthetic design hydrographs under current and future climate for local bridge scour assessment” (acronym: SERIOUS).

• Duration of employment: up to 6 years
• Fully funded by Croatian Science Foundation (program DOK-2025-02)
• Expected start: second half of 2025
• Workplace: University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering
• Mandatory enrollment in PhD program in Civil Engineering

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Research objective

• The main objective of the PhD research is to investigate whether types of synthetic design hydrographs(SDHs) can be established based on the analysis of different flood types under current and future climate conditions. The research will be closely aligned with the SERIOUS project activities, especially during the first two years, involving methods such as machine learning, hydrological and climate modelling, and statistical analysis. The PhD candidate will also engage in international training, conferences, and multidisciplinary collaboration with experts in hydrology, climatology, computer science, and data science.

• More information: https://serious.grad.hr/

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Candidate profile:

• MSc or equivalent degree in civil engineering (preferably in water engineering/hydrology)
• Eligibility to enroll in a doctoral study program
• Motivation for research work and teamwork
• Desirable skills: hydrology, flood modeling, GIS, programming (R, Python,…), field surveys at watercourses

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Required documents:

• CV
• Motivation letter
• Proof of completed MSc degree
• Transcript of records
• Recommendation letter (preferred)

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Application:

• Please send your application to: kristina.potocki@grad.unizg.hr
• Application deadline: Expressions of interest are encouraged by September 15th. The call will remain open until the position is filled.

The paper titled “Overview of Machine Learning Methods for Analyzing and Clustering of Flood Wave Data” was presented at the MIPRO2025 international conference, held in Opatija, Croatia, from 2 to 6 June 2025.

In addition to the methodological overview, the presentation included examples based on case studies from Croatia. The research was carried out through the collaboration of two Master’s students from University of Zagreb, one from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and one from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, and resulted in a Rector’s Award for the academic year 2023/2024.

More information about the publication is available here: https://www.croris.hr/crosbi/publikacija/prilog-skup/891595.

The University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering is a member of EurAqua, the European network of freshwater research institutes (www.euraqua.net).

Two members of the SERIOUS project team – Kristina Potočki (member) and Damir Bekić (deputy member) – are official representatives in the network. At the recent EurAqua management meeting, held in Prague on 20–21 May 2025 and hosted by the T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute, the SERIOUS project was presented among other research activities from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering. The project was introduced and discussed with representatives of leading European freshwater research institutes, contributing to knowledge exchange and potential future collaborations within the network.

The SERIOUS project was presented to the international research community during the EGU General Assembly 2025, held in Vienna, from 27 April to 2 May 2025. The presented poster introduced the project’s objectives, methodology, and initial results related to synthetic design hydrographs and local bridge scour assessment under current and future climate conditions.

More about the session and the presented contribution is available at the official conference site: 🔗 EGU25-16468 – Poster Presentation

The kick-off meeting of the SERIOUS project was successfully held on 1 April 2025 at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb. The meeting brought together all members of the research team from five institutions in Croatia, Slovenia and Germany.
The agenda covered a wide range of topics and reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the project, which brings together a team of experts from different fields — including climate modelling, hydrological and hydraulic analysis, machine learning for data classification, and innovative field measurements at pilot bridge sites.

The meeting served as a valuable opportunity to establish priorities for the first project year, and strengthen collaboration across institutions.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Zagreb has announced an open position for a Senior Assistant (m/f) in the field of technical sciences, specializing in civil engineering and hydrotechnics.

About the Position

The selected candidate will contribute to the research project:
“Synthetic projects hydrograms in the conditions of current and future climate for the assessment of local subsoil around bridges” [SERIOUS]

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the requirements set by the Croatian Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (Official Gazette 119/22) and the Statute of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb.

Additionally, candidates should:

• Have been engaged in scientific research for no more than ten years since enrolling in a doctoral program. This period may be extended due to parental leave or long-term illness, either before or after obtaining a PhD.
• Demonstrate proficiency in English (minimum B2 level in both spoken and written communication).

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic awards for scientific and professional work during studies or employment.
• Experience in conducting hydrological and hydraulic field measurements on watercourses.

Application Details

• Application Deadline: March 14, 2025, by 12:00 PM CET
• Official Announcement: euraxess.ec.europa.eu
• Submission Email: pisarnica@grad.hr

This is an excellent opportunity for researchers specializing in hydrotechnics to join a prestigious project and contribute to the scientific understanding of climate change impacts on bridge stability.