A postdoctoral position is available with Lars Brudvig’s research group at Michigan State University (http://brudviglab.plantbiology.msu.edu/) to help lead an NSF-funded project investigating the assembly and restoration of prairie grassland plant communities. Central goals of this project are to: 1) Understand how spatially- and temporally- variable environmental conditions related to soils and drought affect grassland community assembly and 2) Apply these findings and related community assembly theory to interpret variation in grassland restoration outcomes.
Field research will take place at Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station (http://www.kbs.msu.edu/) and nearby locations in southwestern Michigan, through a combination of seed sowing experiments, observations within a network of restored prairies, and the application of functional trait-based approaches. The postdoc will help lead all aspects of this work, by installing and running experiments, conducting vegetation surveys, managing and analyzing data, supervising undergraduates, and communicating findings through presentations and papers. Work will be based on campus during the academic year, with substantial time in the field during the growing season; options exist to commute or live near the field location during the field season. I seek an individual interested in integrating community assembly theory with restoration ecology. A Ph.D. is necessary; competitive applicants will also possess strong written communication and data management/analysis abilities. Experience with plant identification, field-based experiments, and community and functional trait-based analyses are desirable, but not required. The ideal start date is June 2016, with some flexibility. Four years of funding for salary, benefits, and research expenses are available and the position will be renewed annually based on performance. To apply, email Lars Brudvig ([email protected]) with a CV, cover letter explaining research interests, and contact information for three references. Review of applicants will begin immediately and continue until 31 January 2016, or when a suitable candidate is selected. A criminal background check is a prerequisite for all Research Associate appointments at Michigan State University. The offer of appointment will be contingent on satisfactory criminal background check results, including degree verification. MSU is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities. Job applicants are considered for employment opportunities and employees are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
