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The Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research Program is hiring a data analytics postdoctoral fellow. The Niwot Ridge LTER is home to one of the longest records in alpine ecology in the world. This record includes plant and phytoplankton composition, lake and terrestrial primary production, snow depth and cover, stream and surface water chemistry, soil carbon and nutrient measurements and more. More recently the LTER has added an array of automated sensors that measure key biophysical factors in a instrumented catchment, and will add increased sensor-based biophysical lake measures this summer. We have access to drone overflights and remote sensing data. As part of the development of new integrative models of hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecology, the LTER is hiring a postdoctoral fellow to help shape a series of new field studies and model development efforts.

Credit: William Bowman

The existing and emerging LTER data sets provide a wealth of information on a diverse array of ecological and physical processes across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The Niwot Ridge LTER data sets include both time-series and spatial data sets, both of which can be used to explore the impacts of changing environmental conditions at the high elevation research site. These changes include shifts in season length, changes in snowpack (cover and distribution), temperature, precipitation, and the associated responses of biotic systems to environmental changes.  A successful candidate for this position will have experience in similar complex systems and will be comfortable working with a large multi-disciplinary team of researchers to explore questions at the intersection of ecology, hydrology, and biogeochemistry.  S/he will be comfortable developing and testing hypotheses that synthesize and/or build from existing data sets, work with other researchers to design new statistical or simulation model-based experiments and develop and design new field studies.

Skills and Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in ecology, hydrology, biophysics, biogeochemistry or allied field with substantial data analysis experience or a Ph.D. in a data science field with demonstrated experience applying tools to complex ecological and/or biophysical problems.
  • Demonstrated experience working with and developing scientific publications from complex data sets including a combination of ecological, biological, and physical data from aquatic and/or terrestrial systems.
  • Knowledge of alpine ecosystems and long-term ecological data is preferred but not required if the candidate can demonstrate sufficient knowledge and capability in related areas.
  • Demonstrated skills using data analysis tools/platforms including tools such as R, Matlab, python etc.

Position details. This is a one-year postdoctoral position that is renewable for a second year. There are additional opportunities for continued funding through collaborative proposal development.  The postdoctoral fellow will be supervised by Professor Jason Neff but will work closely with the Niwot Ridge Principal Investigator Professor Katharine Suding and members of the Niwot Ridge Executive Committee. Applicants with questions about the position can contact Professor Neff directly at neffjc@colorado.edu.

Applicants can submit their materials at the CU Careers website – Job # 14060

Review of applications will begin August 15 and continue until the position is filled.  The start date is negotiable but should be no later than January 15, 2019.

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