Job Title: Post-Doctoral Associate (ecosystem services scientist)
Preferred Location(s): St. Paul, Minnesota or Fort Collins, Colorado
Timing and Duration: The position is available
immediately and is funded for up to 2 years.
Project Background:
In 2011, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) embarked on
a five-year, $10M collaboration with Dow Chemical
Company (Dow) to help companies recognize, value
and incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem
services into global business goals, decisions
and strategies. A central focus of the TNC-Dow
Collaboration is initiatives at three pilot sites
to implement and refine models that support
corporate decision-making related to the value
and resources that nature provides to business.
The Post-Doctoral Associate will support research
at the second pilot site in Brazil, which aims to
develop a methodology and tools to guide business
and land use decisions to maximize agricultural
(sugar cane) production and biodiversity and
ecosystem services through forest restoration.
This site is a joint venture of Dow and Mitsui &
Co. Ltd, of Tokyo, Japan, called Santa Vitória
Açúcar e Álcool (SVAA), and is located in Santa
Vitória in the heart of the agricultural frontier
of Brazil. When fully operational, SVAA will be
one of the largest integrated facilities for
producing biopolymers (polyethylene) derived from
renewable sugar cane. Collaboration research will
focus on improving land use decision-making
around the placement of sugar cane fields and
required forest restoration to meet the
requirements of Brazils Forest Code in SVAAs
200,000 hectare licensing area. Pilot analyses
will include modeling of sugarcane expansion,
legal requirements of the Forest Code, habitat
connectivity/viability, and ecosystem services
including water quality (including sediment and
nutrient loads), water quantity and carbon
sequestration. Economic, ecological and ecosystem
service models will be integrated to develop and
test different scenarios to examine conservation,
planning and economic implications for varying
land use and restoration options. Scenarios will
be used to evaluate trade-offs among sugarcane
production, biodiversity, and the supply of
specific ecosystem services in spatial, biophysical, and economic value terms.
Job Description:
The Post-Doctoral Associate will lead the
economic valuation components of the Brazil pilot
research. He/she will work closely with other TNC
scientists/corporate practices leaders and
business managers from Dow and SVAA, as well as
interfacing with modelers at the Natural Capital
Project and other partner organizations.
The Post-Doctoral Associate will be an employee
of The Nature Conservancy for one year, with
potential to extend to two years. He/she will
report to lead scientists of the TNC-Dow
Collaboration pilot site in Brazil (senior
scientists in TNCs Development by Design program
and Atlantic Forest & Central Savannas program in
Brazil). He/she will be co-supervised by a
university faculty (Steve Polasky, University of
Minnesota, or other appropriate).
The essential functions of this position include the following:
· Quantitatively analyzing ecosystem
services using appropriate economic valuation
methods and providing technical support related
to landscape analyses on sugar cane expansion and
ecosystem services (i.e., nutrient/sediment retention and water supply).
· Working with project team to spatially
model and value sugar cane expansion, considering
biophysical and logistical constraints as well as
economic costs associated with production
(spatial analysis/modeling experience preferred but not required).
· Applying appropriate valuation tools
and models to measure trade-offs among land
use/restoration scenarios in both economic and biophysical terms.
· Identifying priority sites for sugar
cane and forest restoration based on ecosystem
service benefits using, modifying, or developing
optimization modeling tools/techniques.
· Working with project team to produce
landscape maps/evaluation methods and to
integrate tools into appropriate business
planning processes and decision making.
· Communicating regularly with key
Collaboration partners (Collaboration Project
team, TNC personnel, Dow/Mitsui/SVAA business
managers, and University/Natural Capital Project
scientists) to convey and interpret key findings,
maintain strong partnerships, and facilitate conservation-business learning.
· Preparing results for presentations,
reports, and peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Responsibilities:
· Work with TNC, Dow, and SVAA personnel
to lead economic valuation and provide technical
support related landscape analyses on sugar cane
expansion and water resources (i.e., nutrient/sediment retention and supply).
· Apply appropriate valuation tools and
models to measure trade-offs among land
use/restoration scenarios in both economic and biophysical terms.
· Work with TNC personnel to spatially
model and value sugar cane expansion, considering
biophysical and logistical constraints as well as
economic costs associated with production.
· Identify priority sites for sugar cane
and forest restoration based on ecosystem service
benefits using, modifying, or developing
optimization modeling tools/techniques.
· Work with TNC, SVAA and Dow personnel
to produce landscape maps/evaluation methods and
to integrate tools into appropriate business
planning processes and decision making.
· Communicate regularly with key
Collaboration partners (Collaboration Project
team, TNC personnel, Dow/Mitsui/SVAA business
managers, and University/Natural Capital Project
scientists) to convey and interpret key findings,
maintain strong partnerships, and facilitate conservation-business learning.
Qualifications: A Ph.D. in environmental or
natural resource economics, ecology, or related
field. The following specific skills are required.
· Demonstrated experience with applying
economic valuation methods and knowledge of
current trends in the field of ecosystem services and environmental economics.
· Knowledge of statistical analysis and
programs (e.g., R, SAS, MATLAB), particularly
related to economic and environmental data.
· Proficiency with ecosystem services
valuation models and tools, relevant for
agricultural crops and water resource modeling.
Familiarity with InVEST models desirable.
· Experience with optimization modeling techniques and tools.
· Analytical skills including
manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting spatial
(vector and raster) data, landscape ecology
and/or ecosystem service models and data are
desirable. Experience working with Geographic
Information Systems (including ArcGIS systems) desirable.
· Ability to work on multiple projects
simultaneously with professionals from a diverse background.
· Strong written and oral communication
skills. Peer reviewed publication record in
relevant discipline(s) strongly desirable.
· International experience and Portuguese
or Spanish language skills are desirable.
This position also requires:
· Ability to travel in both the US and internationally.
· Flexibility to work long hours during deadline periods.
How to Apply:
Apply through The Nature Conservancy Careers at:
<https://email.tnc.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=3DyXQWmDIkKrfaj0gHPDnqALO7ajds8Iad8QBmm-7IYtyO-cXF0YeCK932TSsLyGgiKtu-Mza_4.&URL=https%3a%2f%2fcareers.nature.org%2fpsp%2fP91HTNC_APP%2fAPPLICANT%2fHRMS%2fc%2fHRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL%3fPage%3dHRS_CE_JOB_DTL%26Action%3dA%26JobOpeningId%3d40466%26SiteId%3d1%26PostingSeq%3d1>https://careers.nature.org/psp/P91HTNC_APP/APPLICANT/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=40466&SiteId=1&PostingSeq=1
Apply to position number 40466, submit resume and
cover letter as one document.
All applications must be submitted in the system
prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 18, 2012.
For more information, contact Christina Kennedy,
The Nature Conservancy, Email:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected], Phone: (970) 484-9598.
