Postdoctoral Research Position Ecosystem Service Modeling for Decision Support University of Wisconsin - Madison
We are looking for a broadly-trained environmental scientist to catalyze an effort aimed at building a user-friendly decision-support tool for understanding multiple ecosystem service impacts of land use change in agricultural landscapes. The position will involve coordinating an interdisciplinary team of scientists (ecologists, agronomists, economists, computer scientists, policy analysts), consulting with a diverse group of stakeholders (farmers, energy company representatives, policy makers, and conservation professionals), and working closely with a small team of computer programmers who will be developing the software behind the tool interface. An ideal candidate will have some combination of the following: 1. have a broad training in ecology and environmental science, 2. be comfortable thinking about ecological processes at landscape scales, 3. have a solid background in geographic information systems (e.g., ArcGIS, GRASS, QGIS), 4. be familiar with a range of spatial databases (e.g., SSURGO, NLCD, PRISM), 5. be familiar with available decision support tools (e.g., InVEST, CommunityViz, NatureServe Vista) 6. have a conceptual understanding of ecological process models (e.g., DayCent, EPIC, SWAT), 7. be genuinely interested in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy, 8. communicate well with people outside of academia. The position is funded for two years; it could be extended depending on project progress and the future availability of funds. To apply, please submit (1) a full CV, (2) up to two relevant publications, (3) the names of four potential references and their contact information, and (4) a two-page cover letter describing how this position fits into long-term career goals. Send all materials to Claudio Gratton ([email protected]) and Tim Meehan ([email protected]) in one single electronic file (PDF) with your last name as the file name. We will begin reviewing applications on 1 August 2012. The position could begin as early as 1 October 2012 or as late as 1 January 2013. If you are planning on attending the 2012 Ecological Society Meeting in Portland, we can schedule a meeting there. For more information about the Gratton lab at UW-Madison: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/gratton/
