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Postdoc Scholar/Meineke/Ossola labs

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Position overview

Salary range: Full-time salary and benefits included. Salary and benefits are consistent with UC Davis policy and commensurate with applicant experience.

Position description

The Meineke Lab at the University of California Davis is recruiting a 1-year (with possibility of a two-year reappointment) postdoctoral researcher in the areas of urban forestry, ecology and climate change science. The successful candidate will work within a newly-funded USDA-NIFA project titled “Urban heat islands as windows into climate change and ecosystem service provisioning by street trees”. The postdoctoral scholar will be advised primarily by Dr. Emily Meineke [https://emilykmeineke.com/] in the Department of Entomology & Nematology and secondarily by Dr. Alessandro Ossola [https://urbansciencelab.ucdavis.edu/] in the Department of Plant Sciences. We strongly encourage applications from people from groups historically excluded from scientific research.

The successful candidate will study how climate and micro-climate affect growth and performance of ten tree species planted across urban landscapes in Sacramento, CA, Raleigh, NC and New Orleans, LA. These cities have similar annual temperature regimes but different precipitation and evapotranspiration patterns and offer a unique experimental setting to measure the extent to which tree growth and performance is affected by water availability in species with different hydraulic traits. The postdoctoral scholar will use a diverse set of field and lab techniques including insect herbivore sampling, forestry surveys, soil sampling, micro-climatic measurements, dendrochronology, isotopic analyses, physiological and plant trait measurements, and thus will acquire significant experience in several research techniques and methods.

The position is for one year, and the candidate will be evaluated after each year for reappointment. It is expected that the postdoc will lead 1-3 high-impact peer reviewed scientific articles per year working with the PIs. In addition, it is expected that the postdoc will mentor graduate, undergraduate students and volunteers as well as assist project PIs in organizing outreach activities, products for lay audiences and project reporting.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD in ecology, urban ecology, entomology, forestry, environmental science or another relevant field and ideally research experience with ecological/entomological surveys, dendrochronology, isotopic analyses, plant traits and/or allied skills.

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)

Preference will be given to applicants with
1) expertise in urban forestry, dendrochronology, urban ecology and allied disciplines;
2) strong communication and organizational skills;
3) ability to lead, design and conduct robust reproducible science; and
4) strong publication records, or the potential for developing one. Our team is committed to DEI values. Applicants from historically excluded groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter - (one page): explaining why you are interested in this position and what makes you a good candidate for it

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.

Reference requirements
  • 2-5 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05024

Help contact: syoranchak@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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Job location

Davis, CA