The Townsend Lab (http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/townsend/) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking a post-doc interested in developing remote sensing methods to integrate with wildlife distribution modeling at broad scales. You will be part of a team funded by NASA as part of Snapshot Wisconsin (seewww.snapshotwisconsin.org and http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/research/citizenMonitoring.html), a cooperative effort between faculty at UW-Madison and management agencies to link a statewide network of trailcams generating millions of photographs that are being used to understand and predict animal distributions in space and time. The postdoc will develop remote sensing methods using MODIS, VIIRS and Landsat data as well as other geospatial datasets to characterize vegetation, climate and environment as they relate to trailcam data. You will collaborate with a diverse group of graduate students and faculty at UW-Madison and the Wisconsin DNR to implement innovative methods to model animal distributions across large regions. Collaborators include Drs. Benjamin Zuckerberg (http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/zuckerberg/) and Tim van Deelen at UW-Madison and Dr. Jennifer Stenglein at the Wisconsin DNR and Karl Martin at the University of Wisconsin Extension. Position is available for two years pending satisfactory performance.
The responsibilities of the post-doc include: - Processing and analysis of MODIS and Landsat data and related products, especially for derivation of variables related to phenology; - Integration of remote sensing data and products with trailcam data as a basis for predictive modeling of wildlife distributions; - Development and automation of remote sensing based distribution models in collaboration with other project investigators; - Contribute to and write papers based on the analyses. Prospective candidates should have: - A Ph.D. in-hand in geography, biology/ecology, ecosystem or environmental science, or a related discipline, - Extensive experience with remote sensing data and its analysis, and - Strong statistical background, and preferably related experience programming in R or Python. Desired skills include: - Experience processing and analyzing multispectral imagery for phenology. - Experience or exposure to species distribution modeling. Experience or interest in working with natural resource agencies - Note that experience with these are not mandatory, although extensive experience with remote sensing data is necessary. However, we are looking for candidates with enthusiasm for these skill sets. Applicants must have excellent English writing and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to work and lead a research team, are essential. The position is available starting after August 1, 2016 (start date is flexible). The position is available for two years, pending satisfactory importance. Further years are contingent on funding. University, Department, Labs: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the major research universities in the United States (www.wisc.edu). It ranks 2nd in research expenditures among all U.S. universities and first among public universities. Total student enrollment is 41,500, out of which 8,800 are graduate students. Employees include 2,000 faculty. UW-Madison has a long history of excellence in ecology, conservation biology, and wildlife biology (www.ecology.wisc.edu). The Townsend Lab maintains state-of-the-art facilities for remote sensing research, including computation power, as well as a broad range of field spectrometers, calibration equipment, and ecosystem measurement instrumentation. Town: Madison, Wisconsin consistently ranks as one of the best places in the United States to live, work, and study. It is Wisconsin's capital city, with a vibrant metropolitan population of approximately 500,000 that combines small town charm with a nice variety of leisure and cultural opportunities. For more information on campus and town see: http://www.wisc.edu/about/location.php. Application Process: Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and review will continue until a suitable candidate is chosen. Applications received before July 1, 2016 will be given full consideration. The University of Wisconsin- Madison is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. The position is open to both US citizen and international candidates. Interested applicants are asked to e-mail the documents listed below to Dr. Phil Townsend. Please send the documents compiled together in ONE PDF named YourSurname.pdf with Snapshot Wisconsin Postdoc Application 2016 in the email subject line. - Letter outlining research interests, academic and professional background - Resume or CV - Copies of transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable) - Names and contact addresses of three references Questions should be directed to Dr. Phil Townsend ([email protected]). --- Phil Townsend, Professor Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
