Postdoctoral Fellow - 528347

Pay Grade/Pay Range:  Minimum: $53,500 - Midpoint: $66,900 (Salaried E8)

Department/Organization: 750501 - Alabama Water Institute (AWI)

Normal Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Job Summary: The Postdoctoral Fellow provides for an internship and continuation of scholarly activity and research after achieving the PhD or other doctoral degree under the direction of a senior faculty member who serves as a mentor for the postdoctoral appointee.

Additional Department Summary: The Global Change Ecology Lab and the Alabama Water Institute invite applications for a postdoctoral fellow position. This project will focus on geospatial analysis to identify data and research monitoring gaps in the Northern Gulf of America, as a first step toward developing a Northern Gulf of America Coastal Observatory. This position works with the team to determine where existing research infrastructure needs to be augmented with additional measurements and where new observation platforms are required to improve our environmental monitoring of the region.

The development of this project is associated with the 2018 consensus report by the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), “Understanding the Long-Term Evolution of the Coupled Natural-Human Coastal System: The Future of the U.S. Gulf Coast.” That study, undertaken at the request of the NASEM Gulf Research Program, identified major deficiencies in understanding long-term coastal dynamics- particularly in physical and ecological processes- that limit the ability to track, predict, and manage change along the Gulf Coast. Chief among these gaps are insufficient baseline datasets and monitoring systems for sea level rise, subsidence, sediment delivery, and storm-driven hazards, as well as limited knowledge of ecological responses to climate change, development, and restoration interventions.

Initial appointments are for one year, with renewal contingent upon demonstration of research productivity and funding.

Required Department Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D. in Geography, Coastal Ecology or related field with expertise in geospatial analyses.

Candidates will need to have completed their Ph.D. or have it completed by the start of employment. Applicants should upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae and include at least two references in the reference section of the application. Please upload additional documents to the “other documents” tab as needed.

Skills and Knowledge: Individual must have strong geospatial analyses skills, strong R programing skills and ability to work independently.

Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.