Job Information
University of Kansas Postdoctoral Researcher in Lawrence, Kansas
28296BR
Job Title:
Postdoctoral Researcher
Department:
KS Biological Survey
Primary Campus:
University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
Job Description:
80%
Perform and disseminate research.
Formulate models and develop statistical strategies, write software, apply software to large datasets to develop novel scientific results.
Publish results in high-quality scientific journals.
Disseminate results at domestic and international scientific conferences and through direct communications with other scientists.
Travel occasionally on research visits for collaboration and dissemination.
10%
Mentor junior colleagues involved in the project.
Mentor junior colleagues in the use of software to be developed.
Collaborate with, instruct, mentor, and support junior colleagues working on the same overall project.
10%
- Service to discipline as appropriate. (E.g., review papers and proposals, service to professional societies, etc.)
Req ID (Ex: 10567BR) :
28296BR
Disclaimer:
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY.
Work Schedule:
40 hours/week
FLSA Status:
Professional
Conditions of Employment:
Contingent on Funding, Limited Term
Contact Information to Applicants:
Dan Reuman, reuman@ku.edu
Limited Term End Date:
01-Sep-2025
Required Qualifications:
PhD in biology, mathematics, statistics, computing, physics or other area relevant to the planned work
History of quantitative research in ecology and related mathematical areas, as demonstrated by previous work experience and/or publications
Excellent communication skills, as evidenced by application materials and past research outputs
NOTE: To be appointed at the Postdoctoral Researcher title, it is necessary to have the PhD in hand. Appointments made without a diploma or certified transcript indicating an earned doctorate are conditional hires and are appointed on an acting basis not to exceed 6 months.
Employee Class:
U-Unclassified Professional Staff
Advertised Salary Range:
58,000 - 62,000 Commensurate with Experience
FTE:
1.0
Preferred Qualifications:
Previous experience working as a member of a quantitative ecological research team, as evidenced in application materials
Experience in analyses on large spatial scales using a high-performance computing cluster, as demonstrated by previous work experience
Experience with the creation of R software for scientific analyses, as demonstrated by previous work experience
Experience with the scientific publication process, as evidenced in application materials
Experience with Bayesian statistics applied in a biological area, as demonstrated by previous work experience
Experience using the Stan programming language, as demonstrated by previous work experience
Experience with niche modelling and species distribution models, as evidence by application materials
Position Overview:
The postdoc is hired into a lab that spans the University of Kansas Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and the Center for Ecological Research (CER; also known as the Kansas Biological Survey, KBS). This postdoc will carry out quantitative and mathematical analysis of ecological data and models to improve our understanding of how climatic variability influences species geographic ranges, and how demography and climatic variability can be incorporated into species distribution models. Analyses will require Bayesian statistical approaches, construction and use of stochastic demographic models, data collation and organization and pre-processing, and extensive software development supporting new statistical paradigms and computational-statistical tools. Methods and model development are part of the duties of the postdoc. Results will be published in scientific journals and communicated to scientific audiences. Work is principally located at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, but extensive interactions and communications with other project staff, including students, locally, domestically, and internationally, will be required, both through online communication and via occasional travel. The position will be entirely supported by an NSF Division of Environmental Biology grant which has been recommended for funding; the budget contains funds for at least three years of postdoc salary.
The University of Kansas (KU) is an R1 research university with special strength in ecology and evolutionary biology. The EEB department has 40 permanent faculty working in a wide variety of theoretical and empirical areas, with National Research Council and Chronicle of Higher Education rankings in the top 10 in the USA. The EEB Department is part of a trio of ecology and evolution units on campus, including the Center for Ecological Research and the Biodiversity Institute (BI), which are widely known and recognized for ecological and evolutionary research – the BI and CER provide additional resources supporting the planned work beyond those already available through EEB. The EEB Department, the CER, and the BI are located on the main KU campus amidst the rolling hills of Lawrence, Kansas, about 30 miles from Kansas City. KU is the flagship university of the state of Kansas. Lawrence is a progressive and cosmopolitan university town with vibrant art, music, and sports scenes that has been ranked among the top ten college towns in the country for livability.
Reg/Temp:
Regular
Application Review Begins:
15-Jul-2024
Anticipated Start Date:
01-Sep-2024
Additional Candidate Instruction:
A complete online application will include:
Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
Resume
List of three (3) professional references
Only complete applications will be considered.
Application review begins Monday, July 15h, 2024 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.
Job Family:
Research-KUL
Work Location Assignment:
On-Site
Position Requirements:
- The position is located at Higuchi Hall, Lawrence Campus, KU.