Postdoctoral Researcher in Quantitative Conservation Ecology: Climate smart connectivity for Southern California wildlife Biology Department San Diego State University
Qualifications: We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in species distribution modeling and familiarity with population and connectivity modeling. A PhD is required as well as strong mathematical and programming skills. The candidate must be fluent in R and GIS; familiarity with Python is preferable. The candidate should be able to work both independently and in a collaborative setting with project stakeholders at the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Climate Science Alliance – South Coast. Familiarity with the Southern California ecosystems is desirable. Job Description: Start date is as soon as possible. The postdoctoral researcher will work on a project funded by California’s Wildlife Conservation Board and a State Wildlife Grant to identify and prioritize corridors to promote population resilience for five focal Southern California wildlife species under threat from climate change, land use change, and altered disturbance regimes. The project combines traditional habitat niche modeling, recent advances in connectivity modeling, and spatially-explicit demographic dynamics for populations undergoing disturbances and/or management actions. The postdoctoral researcher will be based at San Diego State University (SDSU) and will work under the direction of Rebecca Lewison (SDSU) and Megan Jennings (SDSU) and with external collaborator Erin Conlisk (Pt Blue Conservation Science). The project may require travel within California. Model development and analysis will include: 1) providing habitat suitability ensemble forecasts for five focal species, 2) using least cost path and resistance connectivity modeling to identify corridors, 3) constructing population models that incorporate (1) and (2) to explore species resilience under different corridor scenarios, and 4) using decision support tools to prioritize corridors. The researcher will be expected to prepare results for peer reviewed journals. Appointment: 75-100% time appointment for one year from start date, with the possibility for additional year(s) of funding contingent upon performance. Salary is $43,000 a year plus benefits. To apply: Please send your letter of interest, CV, contact information for three references and any inquiries to Megan Jennings at mjenni...@mail.sdsu.edu. Please put “Quantitative Postdoc” in the email subject heading. The position will remain open until filled, but application review will commence on July 7, 2017. San Diego State University is an equal opportunity employer.
