TWO POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS - COMMUNITY ECOLOGY Two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions are available at the Tyson Research Centerone in the Mangan Lab and one in the Myers Labat Washington University in St. Louis. Although the two candidates would join separate lab groups, preference will be given to individuals that would foster inter-group collaborations on topics related to the causes and consequences of biodiversity, community assembly, and biotic interactions.
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE - MANGAN LAB The Mangan Lab seeks applicants interested in plant-microbial ecology, with emphasis on understanding the community dynamics of plants and their soil-borne associates. Although specific research topics are flexible, preference will be given to those that have expertise and interest in topics such as 1) plant-soil feedbacks and plant community assembly, 2) the ecology and evolution of plant-symbiotic interactions, and 3) effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on outcomes of plant-soil interactions. Applicants are encouraged to develop collaborative research that is complementary to research in the Mangan Lab (http://biology4. wustl.edu/faculty/mangan), including studies on the importance of plant-soil feedbacks to species relative abundance in both temperate and tropical plant communities, plant-mycorrhizal fungal interactions, and spatial ecology of soil microbes. Preference will be given to applicants that have strong skills in experimental design and analysis (both field-based and in the greenhouse), a diverse toolset for assaying microbial communities, and/or spatial modeling of plant-disease dynamics. POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE - MYERS LAB The Myers Lab seeks applicants interested in plant community assembly, diversity, and dynamics. Although specific research topics are flexible, preference will be given to those that have expertise and interest in topics such as 1) biodiversity patterns and mechanisms across spatiotemporal scales, 2) community assembly across anthropogenic, biogeographic or ecological gradients, and 3) ecological consequences of plant functional diversity. Applicants are encouraged to develop collaborative research that is complementary to ongoing research projects in the Myers Lab (http://biology4.wustl.edu/faculty/myers), including large-scale and long-term observational studies in temperate oak-hickory forests within the Tyson Research Center and across the Missouri Ozarks, biogeographic comparisons across temperate and tropical forests, and experimental studies in forest and grassland ecosystems. Preference will be given to applicants that have strong quantitative skills (e.g. Bayesian, likelihood, or statistical modeling in R), experience with analysis of large and spatially explicit forest plot data sets, and/or an interest in large-scale comparisons involving empirical synthesis or replicated field studies across biodiversity gradients. The successful candidates will join a growing and interactive community of ecologists and evolutionary biologists at Washington University in St. Louis (http://wubio.wustl.edu/EEPB) and the Tyson Research Center (http://www.tyson.wustl.edu). Located 25 minutes from Washington University in St. Louis, the 800-ha Tyson Research Center and nearby natural areas (e.g. the Missouri Botanical Gardens Shaw Nature Reserve; Missouri State Parks) provide ample opportunities for field- based studies in forest, glade, old-field, and tall-grass prairie ecosystems. Empirical research will be largely based at the Tyson Research Center and nearby natural areas, but opportunities also exist for larger biogeographic comparisons across temperate and tropical ecosystems. Although these are primarily research positions, candidates should have an expressed interest in mentoring undergraduate researchers and high school interns during the Tyson summer field season (May-July). The two successful candidates will also team-teach a seminar-style, 1-credit course for undergraduates during spring 2014 (Practical Skills in Environmental Biology Research). The course provides a unique opportunity for the candidates to gain experience in developing and leading their own course, while training and recruiting undergraduates for the Tyson summer field season. Funding for salary and modest research expenses is available for one year with the possibility of extension for a second (or possibly third) year. Consideration of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled. However, candidates are encouraged to send a short email indicating interest in the positions as soon as possible. For the position in the Mangan Lab, please email Scott Mangan ([email protected]). For the position in the Myers Lab, please email Jonathan Myers ([email protected]). The start date is flexible, but ideally the candidates will start between February and April 2013, prior to the start of the Tyson field season in May. To apply, please combine into a single PDF file your CV, a 1-2 page statement of research interests focusing on potential projects that would complement existing research in the lab group to which you are applying, and the names and contact information of three references. Application materials must be submitted electronically through https://jobs.wustl.edu by entering the job ID number as a keyword under Basic Job Search. For the position in the Mangan Lab, enter job ID number 24942. For the position in the Myers Lab, enter job ID number 24945.
