Postdoctoral Positions Available
Systems Ecology Lab
The University of Texas El Paso
El Paso, Texas
Positions Open Until Filled
For more information, please go to:
http://www.sel.utep.edu
Or contact:
Craig Tweedie
Email: ctweedie [at] utep.edu
Phone: 915-747-8448
The Systems Ecology Lab (SEL) at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP)
is seeking three (3) laterally thinking, energetic, and team-oriented
postdoctoral candidates to fill the following positions funded by the
National Science Foundation (NSF):
1. Geographical Information System (GIS) / ecoinformatics specialist.
2. Plant community ecologist with advanced statistical analysis skills.
3. Ecologist or atmospheric scientist with expertise in establishing
and managing eddy covariance towers designed to measure carbon, water
and energy fluxes.
- Geographical Information System/ Ecoinformatics Specialist
The chosen applicant will facilitate the development of the terrestrial
Circum-Arctic Environmental Observatories Network (CEON). This position
will focus on assessing the current capacity and optimal design for a
terrestrial CEON through the development of:
- Collaborations with established and developing US and international
arctic terrestrial monitoring networks, research stations and other
research or monitoring programs.
- Web-based map layers and cyber tools that enhance and facilitate
access to information, web services, and data.
- Cyber tools and analysis that evaluate the spatial and temporal
significance of current and proposed environmental observing capacities
in the Arctic and improve opportunities for cross-site and
interdisciplinary synthesis of observations and research findings.
Candidates for this position are expected to have excellent GIS and
spatial analysis skills, interpersonal and written abilities, and
knowledge of web-based mapping and information tools. Applicants with
demonstrated skills in advanced web-based programming, international
and/or cross-disciplinary collaboration and networking, and remote
sensing or modeling skills and experience are strongly encouraged to
apply. This position will require extensive international travel but
will otherwise be based at UTEP in El Paso, Texas.
For further information about CEON, please go to:
http://www.ceoninfo.org
Application Details can be found at:
http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/pnjobsvw.WBX?job_nbr=08-05-05-01-0509.
- Plant Community Ecologist with Advanced Statistical Skills
The chosen applicant will work on an NSF-funded International Polar Year
(IPY) project entitled "IPY-Back to the Future" (IPY-BTF). The position
will focus on re-sampling research sites established more than 25 years
ago to assess future trajectories of change in high latitude terrestrial
ecosystem structures and functions. The successful candidate will:
- Assist in the re-sampling of sites near Barrow and Atqasuk in northern
Alaska, on Baffin Island in northern Canada, and on Disko Island, in
Greenland.
- Facilitate the development of the internationally endorsed IPY-BTF
project and coordination of activities between international project
partners.
- Coordinate the publication of a special issue of site-specific IPY-BTF
research papers.
- Conduct a cross-site synthesis of IPY-BTF studies spanning sites in
the Arctic and in Antarctica and assist in the preparation of a
manuscript suitable for publishing in a high-ranking international
journal.
Candidates are expected to have demonstrated skills in field-based plant
ecology, plant identification (including cryptogams), and the
statistical analysis of plant community data. Applicants with knowledge
of arctic or alpine flora, strong interpersonal skills, knowledge of
novel multivariate ordination techniques and meta-analysis, and/or plant
ecophysiology are strongly encouraged to apply. This position will be
field-based during the arctic summer and at UTEP in El Paso, Texas for
the remainder of the year.
More information on BTF can be viewed at:
http://classic.ipy.org/development/eoi/proposal-details.php?id=214.
Applications details for this position can be found at:
http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/pnjobsvw.WBX?job_nbr=08-05-05-01-0509.
- Ecologist or Atmospheric Scientist with Expertise in Establishing and
Managing Eddy Covariance Towers Designed to Measure Landscape Level
Carbon, Water and Energy Fluxes
UTEP's CyberShARE Center of Excellence includes several environmental
science sub projects. This position will be focused on establishing an
eddy covariance and micrometeorological tower in the northern Chihuahuan
Desert at the USDA Jornada Experimental Range, which hosts the Jornada
Basin Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. The successful
candidate will:
- Assist in the establishment of an Eddy Tower and Micrometeorological
Observing System that aligns to specifications outlined by Ameriflux and
the development of a National Ecological Network (NEON).
- With graduate students, establish a semi-autonomous robotic tram
system and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to sample hyperspectral
reflectance adjacent to the instrument tower/s outlined above.
- Develop a vegetation-monitoring program that includes variables needed
to best explain and scale ecosystem processes from the leaf to the
landscape level.
- With personnel in the CyberShARE Center, develop novel data
processing, analysis and dissemination tools.
Candidates are expected to have a background in micrometeorology,
hydrology and/or plant physiology, and technical expertise with eddy
covariance-based heat, water, and carbon flux measurement equipment.
Applicants with experience in programming, data management, modeling,
remote sensing and scaling flux and other ecosystem processes over
multiple spatial and temporal scales are strongly encouraged to apply.
The candidate for this position will be establishing a new disciplinary
field for the lab and will be expected to play a key role in the
submission of proposals to advance this line of work. This position will
be based in El Paso, Texas and will require frequent travel to the field
site on the Jornada Experimental Range, approximately 1.5 hours away.
Each position is available immediately and will be filled as soon as
appropriate candidates have been identified. Appointments will be made
for 12 months initially and could be extended thereafter depending on
performance and availability of funds. Review of applications will begin
on Monday, 19 May 2008. Candidates must have a PhD and a current
driver's license at the commencement of these positions. Salary will
range between $38,000 and $40,000, depending on qualifications and
experience. Benefits include retirement, group health, dental, life and
disability insurance plus annual and sick leave. Successful applicants
will have the potential to contribute to the preparation of grant
proposals, develop a teaching portfolio, mentor graduate and
undergraduate students, and conduct outreach activities to improve their
credentials in preparation for future employment opportunities if they
wish. Minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
To apply, please email the following information to Craig Tweedie at:
ctweedie [at] utep.edu:
1. A cover letter introducing the applicant and describing which of the
above positions is of interest and why.
2. Curriculum Vitae.
3. An example of writing ability.
4. Contact information for three referees - two of which should be
familiar with your most recent research endeavors.
More information about SEL is available at a website currently under
development: http://www.sel.utep.edu
Information is also available at several other websites:
http://www.baidims.org
http://www.ceoninfo.org
http://www.ipyroam.org
http://www.armap.org
http://www.arcticsciencefunding.org
More information about SEL and the positions currently being offered can
be obtained by emailing Craig Tweedie at:
ctweedie [at] utep.edu.