Postdoctoral Fellow in Restoration Ecology
Missouri Botanical Garden is a center for botanical research and science education, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, Henry Shaw’s original 1850 estate home, and one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered orchids. The Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development (CCSD) explores and implements new, science-based approaches to the conservation and sustainable use of plant diversity. CCSD’s strategies for conservation are based on a sound, scientific understanding of the occurrence and distribution of plants. CCSD applies the knowledge of plant diversity accumulated by Missouri Botanical Garden researchers over many years, making that knowledge usable for conservation planning and decision-making. Operating under the auspices of the Garden and as part of its division of Science and Conservation, CCSD builds upon the Garden’s institutional expertise, scientific programs, influence and resources. Summary of the position: The holder of this position is expected to develop innovative research projects that advance the science of restoration ecology and build upon the strengths of MBG’s local and international field programs. The candidate will have opportunities to develop collaborative projects at MBG’s Shaw Nature Reserve and other field sites and natural areas in the St. Louis region, the Midwest, USA, and internationally. The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate in ongoing research projects related to the restoration of degraded ecosystems and reinforcement of populations of endangered plant species by working directly with MBG scientists active in conservation biology, reintroduction biology, global change, restoration ecology, community ecology, and macroecology. This individual will also interact with a broader community of scientists at universities, non- governmental organizations, and governmental agencies. Other responsibilities include participating in the recently-formed Ecological Restoration Alliance of botanic gardens, arboreta and seed banks and working with MBG seed bank staff to develop ex situ collections for restoration projects. This individual will also be expected to help build restoration capacity in MBG’s international field programs. Two regions of particular interest are the tropical Andean countries, and Madagascar and other islands in the Indian Ocean. Thus, fluency or competence in Spanish and/or French is highly desirable. The position will be based in St. Louis, where a vibrant community of conservation biologists, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists interact through partnerships among MBG, Washington University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Saint Louis University. Missouri Botanical Garden offers a comprehensive benefits package. Qualifications and/or Experience: Candidates should have a strong background in one or more of the following fields: restoration ecology, landscape ecology, conservation biology, or a related discipline. A Ph.D. in one or more of these fields is required by the start date. In addition, candidates should have excellent writing and communications skills as well as an eagerness to produce and publish scientific results. •Strong background including a minimum of (6) months prior experience or coursework in one or more of the following fields: restoration ecology, conservation science, community ecology, landscape ecology, spatial analysis. •Demonstrated ability including a minimum of (6) months experience using R and ESRI software (or at least one of the above tools). •Prior experience writing scientific papers, grant proposals and reports. Application Process: To be considered, applicants should apply on-line and submit a brief statement of research interests (2 page maximum), a CV, copies of relevant publications or manuscripts, and the names and contact information for three references to [email protected] before March 31, 2014. For more information please visit our website or contact the Recruiter Link to comprehensive posting and job application: http://www.mobot.org/jobs Missouri Botanical Garden Website: www.mobot.org Recruiter: Tracy Breckenridge E-mail: [email protected] Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
