Post Doctoral Research Associate - Conservation Ecologist

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued-and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

Amphibians and reptiles face a large number of escalating threats to the viability and persistence of their populations. These threats are multi-faceted, complex, and require advanced quantitative tools to tacklet. Therefore, we seek to hire up a postdoctoral researcher to work on questions which can provide essential scientific information for conservation and management decision-making related to amphibians and reptiles. We focus on using a combination of decision analysis, quantitative modeling of empirical data, and predictive modeling and forecasting. Examples of projects that the postdoctoral researcher may undertake include estimating the consequences of confiscation and repatriation of illegally collected freshwater turtles using population viability analyses, running simulations for an integrated disease-dynamics model for a chytrid-amphibian system, analyzing amphibian egg clutch count data collected from wetland sites across the Northeast, quantifying the value of amphibians to ecosystems and society, and improving risk models for novel pathogen introduction to naive host systems. In many examples, the PIs Grant and DiRenzo have preliminary models and data that can be further developed to advance these ideas. We will work with the postdoctoral researcher to identify which project most aligns with their interests. We do not expect that the postdoctoral researcher to work on all of these projects.

This work is a collaboration among the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Massachusetts Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit (MA Coop Unit) and the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the SO Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab.

Essential Functions

We are recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to work on one or several of the following:

• Build/refine a population viability analysis that examines the effect of (re)introducing (1) a diseased individual, (2) an individual with poor genetics, and (3) a diseased individual with poor genetics into a wild population.
• Use simulations to explore the performance of a latent space model describing chytrid-amphibian disease dynamics.
• Use field data to estimate inter-annual amphibian community breeding dynamics.
• Use field data to quantify the multiple dimensions of economic value of amphibians.
• Develop and parameterize a model to improve assessment of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans environmental suitability for North America.

In all cases, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to write research reports, papers for publication, prepare code for release, and prepare data for release.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean's strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• PhD in ecology, conservation, herpetology, or other related field.

Additional Details

We highly encourage people from historically underrepresented groups to apply.

The postdoctoral researcher will be stationed at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst, MA and the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (formerly the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center) at the SO Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab in Turners Falls, MA. UMass is a top-ranked public university located in western MA, and the USGS center produces research products of national and international significance for conservation and management of wildlife. The area offers a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers, with many great outdoor recreational opportunities.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.

Salary Information

Salary commensurate with experience.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Early submissions are encouraged.

The cover letter should be 1 - 2 pages describing:

• your research interests and background, skills, and experience
• why you are interested in this position and/or enthusiasm related to the projects listed in the job summary
• your career goals

Please send questions to either Graziella DiRenzo (gdirenzo@umass.edu) or Evan Grant (ehgrant@usgs.gov).

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. You can find these values and goals at: Inclusive Excellence : College of Natural Sciences : UMass Amherst, and For the Common Good - 2024-2034 : Strategic Plan : UMass Amherst.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.