Tuesday, November 09, 2021

Postdoc positions: carbon flux estimation system for forest ecosystems of Canada

The Remote Sensing Lab at the School of Earth, Environment and Society, McMaster University, ON, Canada (PI Alemu Gonsamo, Canada Research Chair) is recruiting two postdoctoral fellows to develop a national carbon flux estimation system for forest ecosystems of Canada. The postdoctoral fellows will develop novel mechanisms, including deep learning algorithms, to quantify annual net carbon flux of all forest ecosystems in Canada including carbon fixed through plant primary production, and carbon emissions through land cover change and disturbance. The project will involve the use of satellite-based LIDAR, optical and SAR observations and forest inventory data.  

 

The postdoctoral fellows will be members of a growing number postdoctoral fellows and graduate students that are funded by NSERC Alliance Grant and World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada). WWF-Canada is one of Canada's largest conservation organizations actively contributing to the protection, management, and restoration of the environment. The postdoctoral fellows will have opportunity to interact closely with the Science, Research and Innovation division of WWF-Canada office in Toronto. 

 

The postdoctoral fellows will also have opportunity to collaborate, including research visits, with the project collaborators: Dr. Werner Kurz (Canadian Forest Service), Dr. Xiaoyuan Geng (Canadian Soil Information Service), Dr. Sarah Finkelstein (University of Toronto) and members of Lands and Resources Department of the Mushkegowuk Council representing Cree First Nations in Hudson and James Bay lowlands. 

 

The positions are ideally suited to researchers with strong skills in regional or global remote sensing of vegetation with keen interest in C cycle processes in terrestrial ecosystems. The successful candidates will be provided with the opportunity to lead the research project, coordinate collaborations, and publish results. Funding is available for 2 years at a competitive salary that is commensurate with qualifications and experience, with the possibility of renewal. Start date is January 1, 2022 but may be flexible. Experienced researchers are highly encouraged to apply as a Research Associate with 3-year contract.  

 

Candidates must exhibit effective written and oral communication skills, experience working in R or other computer languages, have demonstrated ability to publish peer-reviewed papers, and have a Ph.D. pending or awarded in relevant discipline. To apply, please send a letter of interest, current CV, and names and contact information of two references to Alemu Gonsamo at gonsamoa@mcmaster.ca.  The application deadline is December 10, but review will start immediately and continue until the position is filled.  

 

The newly established Remote Sensing Lab (https://remotesensing-mcmaster.org/) at McMaster University has several high performance lab computers equipped with the latest remote sensing software (e.g. ENVI, IDL, ArcGIS, Google Earth Engine, R), and access and benefits from allocated computing resources at compute Canada’s super computers.

Wednesday, November 03, 2021

Postdoctoral Research Associate on Biogeochemistry

Posting Number: req7030

Department: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Location: Main Campus

Address: Tucson, AZ USA

Position Highlights

Creative research opportunity for a postdoctoral scientist with skills in instrumentation and/or isotope biogeochemistry, to join an interdisciplinary team working in the Amazon of Brazil to discover controls on methane and carbon cycling across the terrestrial-aquatic interface, from upland terra firme to seasonally inundated varzea forests. The position is in the research group of Dr. Scott Saleska, with co-mentorship by Dr. Joost van Haren (at UA) and Laura Meredith (at UA) and Dr. Rick Wehr at Aerodyne Research, Inc., with extensive on-the ground collaboration and coordination with colleagues in Santarem, Brazil.

This is a year-to-year appointment, contingent upon funding and performance, with an approximately half-time commitment to living and working in Brazil. The U.S. component will include training at Aerodyne Research on the use of laser spectrometers for isotope measurements, and instrument testing in advance of field deployment at University of Arizona's Biosphere 2 research facility.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please click here.

Duties & Responsibilities

The candidate will install and manage cutting edge field instrumentation for measuring ecosystem (via eddy covariance from towers) soil, and individual tree fluxes (via chambers) of  methane, carbon dioxide, and their isotopes in Amazon forests; lead interpretation and publication of resultant data on isotopic composition of fluxes and concentrations of CH4 and CO2, and work as part of an international team comparing carbon flux dynamics to the molecular microbial ecology of methane cycling organisms. The candidate will use a mathematical modeling framework to interpret field observations when possible; and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of ecosystem modelers, microbial biologists, and forest ecologists.  

The science goals of this project (funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation, with contributions from institutions in Brazil), are to discover and predict how methane-cycling microbial soil communities interact with forest ecology and tree stem transport of gases to affect ecosystem carbon and methane cycling at large scales in the Amazon basin.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Possess a doctorate degree in Science or Engineering upon hire.
  • Experience in a technical background related to managing instrumentation 
  • Experience in publishing material in peer review literature

Preferred Qualifications

  • Fluency in Portuguese; Scientists from Brazil are encouraged to apply
  • Experience in mathematical and numerical modeling.
  • Strong interest and experience in team-based interdisciplinary science.

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40+

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Fiscal

Job Category: Research

Benefits Eligible: Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: 53,760

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Type of criminal background check required: Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Contact Information for Candidates

Scott Saleska
saleska@arizona.edu
Joost Van Haren
jvanhare@arizona.edu

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and One Additional Document

Special Instructions to Applicant

Please include the contact information for three professional references in the additional document slot.

Diversity Statement

At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. As an Hispanic-serving institution and a Native American/Alaska Native-serving institution, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.

PhD positions in ecosystem ecology at the University of Notre Dame

The Rocha lab (https://sites.nd.edu/rocha-laboratory/) at the University of Notre Dame is seeking to fill two PhD positions on an NSF funded project to understand post-fire succession in the arctic tundra biome.  The University of Notre Dame is an R1 research institution located in South Bend, Indiana (~90 miles from Chicago).  The PhD will be funded as a research assistantship for at least three years; allowing candidates to develop a strong track record of scientific research.  These positions will involve a combination of field work at the Toolik Lake Long Term Research Station (LTER; https://www.uaf.edu/toolik/), analyses of remote sensing and eddy covariance data, and synthesizing these datasets with ecological modeling. 

The project goals for this NSF funded project are two-fold. The project will continue- and synthesize- measurements from three eddy covariance towers that have been monitoring carbon and energy fluxes across a burn severity gradient within one of the largest tundra fires (i.e. Anaktuvuk River fire) since 2008.  The project also includes a long term nutrient fertilization experiment in burned and unburned tundra that allows us to understand vegetation and community shifts during post-fire succession.     

Successful candidates will have strong quantitative skills and a background in environmental science, ecology, micrometeorology, remote sensing, ecological modeling, or geosciences related to land atmosphere interactions.  Strong quantitative skills, knowledge of statistics, computer programming (R, Matlab, IDL, Python, Fortran, or C), as well as experience in data analyses and visualization are required. Candidates with experience in- and desire for- field work in Alaska are preferred, but not required.   

Interested candidates should email the principal investigator, Professor Adrian Rocha (arocha1@nd.edu) for further information.  Applications for the PhD program are due 12/1 and applicants can apply at the following link (https://gradconnect.nd.edu/apply/).  The University of Notre Dame is an equal opportunity employer.  

Friday, October 08, 2021

Postdoc and PhD Openings at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Modeling and Monitoring of Agroecosystems

Postdoc and PhD Openings at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Modeling and Monitoring of Agroecosystems

The newly founded Agroecosystem Sustainability Center (ASC) at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has multiple opening positions for postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students working on modeling and remote sensing over the agroecosystems. Please refer to the recruiting flyer for more details.

Area 1: Modeling the Biogeochemical Cycling of Agroecosystem. Expertise/interest in soil biogeochemistry, ecosystem modeling, and advanced data-model integration. We will recruit both postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students.

Area 2: Multi-Scale Hyperspectral Sensing for Sustainable Agriculture. Expertise/interest in airborne, satellite and proximal hyperspectral sensing to quantify crop traits, soil properties and management practices in the U.S. Midwest croplands.  We will recruit both postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students.

Area 3: High-resolution Soil Moisture Sensing and Modeling. Expertise/interest in microwave remote sensing for soil moisture, hydrological modeling and data assimilation.  We will recruit both postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students.

Area 4: Remote Sensing of Grassland Productivity. Expertise/interest in multi-scale remote sensing to monitor high-resolution grassland productivity in real time and assess the sensitivity of pasture and rangeland to climate change at regional scale.  We will recruit both postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students.

Candidates with strong backgrounds in programming, process-based modeling and remote sensing would be highly preferred. Please send a cover letter, CV, and contact information of three references via email to Ms. Xin Lin (linxin@illinois.edu).

UIUC ranks top worldwide in Agricultural Science, Computer Science & Engineering, and Environmental Science. The University of Illinois administration, faculty, and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. International students have the flexibility to study remotely considering the COVID-19 situation.

PhD Opportunities in Ecological Informatics at Northern Arizona University

 

Northern Arizona University’s (https://nau.edu/) Informatics PhD program with an emphasis in Ecological and Environmental Informatics integrates informatics (data science, computing, statistical analysis, synthesis, modeling) ecology, environmental and climate science, and other disciplines to address pressing global issues. NAU is located in the scenic mountain town of Flagstaff, AZ with access to outdoor recreation, a vibrant community, and dedicated faculty (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/who-we-are/#Faculty) doing internationally renowned research (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/what/). 
 
Our T3 option (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/nrt/), funded through a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award, aims to train students in team science and science communication as they gain expertise in Ecological and Environmental Informatics, and to prepare trainees for a diverse range of career paths. Fellowships ($34,000/year stipend, tuition benefits, health insurance, for 1-2 years) are available for outstanding applicants; we strongly encourage applications from women and members of underrepresented minority groups. 
 
Additional funding is available via research (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/openings/) and teaching assistantships. All funded students receive a tuition waiver. Exceptional early applicants may be eligible for supplemental funding through NAU’s Presidential Fellowship (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/presidential-fellowship/). 
 
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the final (Graduate College) deadline on January 1, 2022. For full funding consideration, we recommend applying during the Fall 2021 semester;prospective students should apply (https://www.applyweb.com/northazg/index.ftl) to the Informatics and Computing (INF) program, and explicitly indicate interest in the EEI T3 program within the personal statement. 
 
We strongly encourage interested students to contact prospective faculty (https://ecoinfo.nau.edu/index.php/who-we-are/) mentors or the T3 Program Coordinator (Dr. Kimberly Samuels-Crow, Kimberly.Samuels@nau.edu) prior to applying.

Postdocs in Atmospheric Sciences at Cyprus Institute

 

Postdoc(s) in Atmospheric Sciences

Closing Date: 11/04/21


The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a non-profit research and educational institution with a strong scientific and technological orientation, emphasizing international collaborations, cross-disciplinary research, and postgraduate education. CyI, through its established research centers, addresses challenging issues that are important at both the regional and international levels. Many of its research activities are being carried out in partnership with leading institutions in the respective thematic areas.


The CARE-C Centre of excellence invites applications for the position of Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences to join the Cyprus atmospheric Observatory (CAO, https://cao.cyi.ac.cy/) team. The position offers excellent possibilities for development of highly motivated individuals in the framework of the EU-H2020 “EMME-CARE” (Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre; http://emme-care.cyi.ac.cy/; TEAMING Grant no. 856612), within which the Cyprus Institute established a “Centre of Excellence” in Climate and Atmosphere research for the EMME region in cooperation with EU Advanced Partners (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany; University of Helsinki in Finland; and CEA in France).


The successful candidates will contribute in advancing the CARE-C’s research and innovation agenda in its scientific focus of Environmental Observations area through experimental research on reactive trace gases and particularly on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). A newly acquired Proton Transfer Reaction – Time of Flight – Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) will be used as the core instrumentation for the research investigations.


Depending on their skills and interests, the selected candidates will undertake different responsibilities as below:


 -Operation of the PTR-ToF-MS to monitor anthropogenic VOCs and identify the regional sources and sinks, through observations and atmospheric chemistry investigations (in the frames of ACTRIS network). The regional sources will be investigated both with ground-based observations and with drone applications for VOC mapping. He/she will operate the PTR-ToF-MS in Cyprus and participate in numerous international field campaigns in Middle East, starting with a campaign in Qatar that will take place in spring 2022.


- Operation of the PTR-ToF-MS to monitor biogenic VOCs in the soil-biosphere-atmosphere interface and witin the context of climate change in the East Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region. He/she will be responsible for performing flux observations of bVOCs in forested and agricultural environments and link the emissions with plant physiology (using a portable photosynthesis system) and environmental drivers.


The positions will be on a full-time basis for a fixed period and duration based on the responsibilities to be undertaken as described above, and are renewable depending on performance and availability of funds.

 

Responsibilities/activities to be involved in:

  1. Responsible for the operation of a PTR-ToF-MS system in the laboratory and in field campaigns, following international standard operating procedures;
  2. Responsible for data processing using advanced software tools;
  3. Contribute to research related activities to VOC emissions from anthropogenic and/or biogenic sources;
  4. Contribute to research related activities to the atmospheric chemistry implications of VOCs;
  5. Contribute to publications and communicate the research output and implications at different levels, including academic, public and policy related;
  6. Actively pursue regional and international networking, by participating in national and international conferences;
  7. Co-supervise research projects/students;
  8. Willingness to participate in training of new research staff

Required Qualifications

  1. PhD in one of the below:
    1. Atmospheric Chemistry
    2. Environmental Sciences
    3. Biogeochemistry
    4. Plant Physiology
  2. Authored/co‐authored at least five peer‐reviewed publications
  3. Three years of relevant experience (including PhD)
  4. Research experience on Volatile Organic Compounds;
  5. Participation in field campaigns;
  6. International experience;
  7. Driving license;
  8. Experience with trace gas instrumentation;
  9. Excellent programming skills (e.g. Python, Matlab, R);
  10. Excellent knowledge of English, both verbal and writing;
  11. Strong analytical and organizational skills;
  12. High interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team;
  13. Willingness to travel and spend time in campaigns and in Partner Organizations;
  14. Willingness to participate in the educational programs of the Institute.

 

Application

For full consideration, interested applicants should process their application at The Cyprus Institute (https://onlinerecruitment.exelsyslive.com/?c=6E7274A2-8EBA-4BEA-905B-06F790EEB566&v=2021/0012) based on the instructions given. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae including a short letter of interest and a list of three(3) referees (including contact information) (all documentation should be in English and in PDF Format). For further information, please contact Assist. Prof. Dr. Efstratios Bourtsoukidis (e.bourtsoukidis@cyi.ac.cy). Please note that applications which do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered.

Recruitment will continue until the positions are filled.

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