A postdoctoral associate (1-1.5 years in duration) with a passion for conservation science and/or social-ecological science is sought to contribute to a social-ecological study of sea level rise and land use decisions. The postdoctoral associate will be co-mentored by Drs. Ashley Dayer (social scientist) and Elizabeth Hunter (ecologist) at Virginia Tech and be part of their dynamic labs, as well as part of a project team with a remote sensing professor and PhD student. The university values diversity and continually strives to maintain and promote an inclusive learning and research environment that embrace all students, faculty, and staff. We are particularly interested in applications from persons identifying with groups currently underrepresented in natural resources fields, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, and underrepresented genders. This would include cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and those who are otherwise marginalized.
The research project is funded by the NASA Land-cover and Land-use Change program. We are studying sea level rise (SLR) in mid-Atlantic coastal landscapes, especially agricultural and forestry lands, as linked socio-ecological systems. Specifically, we are exploring the interplay of ecological responses to SLR and human decision-making and whether natural ecosystems (e.g., marshes, tidal flats) will migrate upslope as a response to SLR. This postdoctoral associate will work with the social science survey data we have already collected about how the degree of change influences behaviors and decisions, as well as what other factors modulate or constrain those decisions (e.g., tax rates, market value for products). Depending on their skills and expertise, they may either contribute by 1) writing social or social-ecological manuscripts from this dataset, 2) combining information about landowner behaviors and decisions with remote sensing data in a predictive agent-based model (ABM), and/or 3) leading science communications activities to ensure coastal land managers and those who work with private landowners are aware of and know how to use our findings.
The postdoctoral associate will: 1) Coordinate project logistics and team activities; 2) Support other research activities in the projects as needed & aligned with the postdoc’s skills and interests (e.g., social-ecological predictive modeling); 3) Mentor undergraduate students; 4) Publish peer-reviewed articles; 5) Communicate activities and results throughout the project to the coastal conservation community ; and 6) Be an active member of the Hunter and Dayer Labs and a growing post-doc community in the Global Change Center.
The position requires travel to present results in coastal areas of the East Coast of the US and conferences in the US.
For job qualifications and duties and to apply, see here. Review of applications will begin January 27. Position open until filled.