Overview

The Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow I to assist a team of researchers to better understand how fire might impact erosion and debris flows, including impacts to transportation corridors. The Postdoctoral Fellow will mainly assist by predicting fire severity to improve post-wildfire sedimentation risk models.

The position is intended to be for one year, with renewal for a second year contingent on performance and funding.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

  1. Take a leadership role in developing and implementing a fire severity prediction model, in close collaboration with PIs across our interdisciplinary research team (Belize Lane, Patrick Belmont, Brendan Murphy, Larissa Yocom, Jon Czuba, Scott David), as well as associated postdocs, students, and staff;
  2. Publish one to two lead-author papers related to our research group’s ongoing wildfire research program and contribute to additional co-authored publications with members of the research team;
  3. Be able to summarize and communicate results to a wide variety of stakeholders via web-based forums, stakeholder meetings, presentations, etc.;
  4. Provide mentoring for graduate and undergraduate students associated with the project.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • PhD in relevant field (Forestry, Ecology, Biology, or related field)
  • Familiarity with fire ecology, fire modeling, and forest ecology
  • Proficiency in ArcGIS and coding in Python, Matlab, and/or R
  • Familiarity with statistics

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV” 

2. Transcripts (official or unofficial) to be uploaded at the beginning of your application

3. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application, describing your background, interest in modeling fire severity, and how you anticipate contributing to the project 

4. Names and contact information for three references

  • Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

College/Department Highlights

The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with over $15M in research funding annually, 55 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies. 

The Department of Wildland Resources in QCNR encompasses research in applied terrestrial ecology, including the ecology and management of wildlife, forests, rangelands, conservation biology, and climate change adaptation. Award-winning faculty teach courses that prepare students for professional careers in many natural resources fields, including programs accredited by the Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management and aligned with the Society of Ecological Restoration.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant and space-grant university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion. USU serves approximately 27,500 students throughout the state at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for over 25 years, and USU Extension provides outreach and service to all counties in Utah. 

As a land-grant university, USU engages communities and empowers people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. As an R1 research institution, USU provides a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price. Washington Monthly has consistently ranked USU in the top 10 among public universities for contribution to social mobility, research, and public service. 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where different perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

  • updated 7/2023

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

  • updated 09/2023
Read Full Description
Confirmed 4 hours ago. Posted 30+ days ago.

Discover Similar Jobs

Suggested Articles