Postdoc – Ecosystem processes and demography of U.S. forests under climate change, University of Florida
Option for remote hire or on-site location at either the University of Florida main campus (Gainesville, FL) or the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station in St. Paul, MN. Starting annual salary is $62,550. We are seeking applications for a two-year postdoctoral research position to study changes in the dynamics of U.S. forests. Analysis will focus on the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database and may also leverage other datasets. Background: Multiple factors may affect trends in forest dynamics, including rising concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, climate change, and nutrient limitation. These factors may affect forest growth and mortality directly through physiological mechanisms, as well as indirectly through shifts in species composition. As the spatial and temporal coverage of national-scale data continues to improve, so do opportunities to better characterize and understand changes in forest dynamics. However, interactions between multiple global change drivers and the complex disturbance history of U.S. forests pose significant challenges for attributing changes to different mechanisms. Addressing these challenges requires creative modeling approaches. Our recent paper (doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2311132121) illustrates the type of research that our project is pursuing. Details of the position: The postdoc will be employed by the University of Florida and will work under the supervision of Jeremy Lichstein at the University of Florida and Grant Domke at the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station in St. Paul, MN to improve our understanding of how and why U.S. forest dynamics have changed over recent decades. We are interested in better understanding both carbon dynamics and demography across life stages (seedlings, saplings, and large trees). Supervisors will work with the postdoc to develop specific questions and approaches that are aligned with the postdoc’s interests. Principal duties include developing and testing statistical modeling approaches, applying these approaches to FIA data, and publishing the findings in peer-reviewed journals. The starting annual salary is $62,550 plus benefits (https://benefits.hr.ufl.edu/my-benefits/explore/eligibility/postdocs/). Travel funds for conferences and project meetings are provided. Start date is flexible. Required qualifications: PhD in a relevant field; strong quantitative and writing skills. Preferred qualifications: - Experience analyzing forest inventory data or other environmental datasets. - Experience with advanced statistical methods, such as hierarchical Bayesian models or non-linear mixed effects models. - Knowledge of forest dynamics and terrestrial carbon cycling. To apply, send the following to Jeremy Lichstein ([email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>): - Cover letter explaining your interest in the position and relevant experience. - Curriculum Vitae. - Contact information for three references. To unsubscribe from this list please go to https://community.esa.org/confirm/?u=RhPWqPxFwODKvbkiT32nkIqRrsiSgulp
