The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI; https://nationalzoo.si.edu/conservation-ecology-center) is seeking two Post-doctoral Research Fellows to advance research in the spatial ecology and conservation of bustard species with a special focus on houbara bustard. This research program is part of a scientific collaboration between NZCBI, the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC, www.houbarafund.org<http://www.houbarafund.org>) and Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC (RENECO). The positions are full-time, 2-year appointments ($65,000/year + annual health care benefit) to be based at NZCBI’s research facility in Front Royal, VA, USA. The fellows may also visit Reneco scientists for research discussions and coordination and travel to bustard field and IFHC research and conservation facilities in North Africa and Central Asia for data collection, analysis, and model validation.
The IFHC has cultivated an unprecedented dataset collected over the past 30 years which consists of intensive monitoring of reinforced houbara populations. These data will form the foundation for analysis for the post-doctoral fellows. One post-doctoral fellow (Remote Sensing Focus) will be expected to use advanced remote sensing techniques to develop new covariate layers (e.g., biomass/vegetation cover) that best explain the presence and abundance of bustards at various spatio-temporal scales. A second post-doctoral fellow (Species Abundance Modeling Focus) will integrate the remote sensing data layers developed and forecast how land use/land cover change, human impacts, resource availability, and projected climate change will affect the population distribution and abundance of bustards. Both post-doctoral fellows will be expected to develop their own research objectives that fit in with the project. The fellows will work with Drs. Jared Stabach (NZCBI) and Yves Hingrat (RENECO). The preferred start date for each fellowship is February 2025. Interested applicants should submit a CV, names and contact information for 3 references, and cover letter to ifhc.scbi.fel...@gmail.com by December 13, 2024 or until filled. Please include “Bustard Fellowship” in the subject header and state which position you are applying for (Remote Sensing or Species Abundance Modeling). The cover letter should include (i) a summary of the applicant’s research and analysis experience that are relevant to meet the fellowship objectives and (ii) the applicant’s earliest possible start date. All materials should be included in a single pdf document. Preferred qualifications: * A Ph.D. in Ecology, Geography, Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, or a related academic field * Experience working in arid environments on avian species. * Expertise and experience in advanced remote sensing and spatial analysis. Remote sensing experience focused on multi-temporal land use/land cover change analyses and the management of large spatial database preferred. * Exposure to multi-scale occurrence modeling. * Significant analysis skills in R; additional programming experience advantageous (e.g., Java, IDL, and/or Python); experience using Google Earth Engine for developing large data models will be considered advantageous. * Experience designing, organizing, and managing field work. * Enthusiasm for collaborating across institutions and countries to jointly pursue research topics relevant to both academic and applied audiences. * Willing and able to reside near SCBI in Virginia, and to travel to Abu Dhabi, and field sites in North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. To unsubscribe from this list please go to https://community.esa.org/confirm/?u=RhPWqPxFwODKvbkiT32nkIqRrsiSgulp
