AIMS IS GROWING!
WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING A POST DOC AS PART OF A LARGE COLLABORATIVE PROJECT FOCUSING ON INTERMITTENT STREAMS!
Start date: Flexible, between February-June 2022
Duration: 24 months with the potential to renew
Location: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Alabama A&M, Normal, Alabama
We are recruiting a post-doctoral research associate to join our team investigating the interplay between hydrology, biogeochemistry, and microbial communities in shaping responses to stream intermittency across three geographic regions. Specifically, this post-doctoral researcher will be funded with a supplement grant to the “Aquatic Intermittency effects on Microbiomes in Streams (AIMS),” project is funded through the NSF EPSCoR RII Track 2 FEC program to formally engage Alabama A&M, a Minority Serving Institution, with the project. AIMS is led by colleagues at the University of Kansas, with collaborators at The University of Alabama, University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, Idaho State University, and now Alabama A&M. The aim of the project is to quantify and predict how drying in stream networks impacts downstream water quality, in order to better inform policy and management in Mountain West, Great Plains, and Southeastern Forest ecosystems. Further, this supplement will leverage the current infrastructure near Alabama A&M in the nearby Paint Rock watershed by providing additional funds for resources at the local study area. This highly interdisciplinary post-doctoral position offers an opportunity to be involved in a large-scale research project and be a leader in integrating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by leading project efforts at Alabama A&M, a Minority Serving Institution. Additionally, the post-doctoral researcher will also have the opportunity to act as an affiliate faculty member at The University of Alabama if the individual’s research record meets the qualifications for affiliate graduate faculty membership in The University of Alabama’s Department of Biological Sciences. The successful candidate will also interact regularly with the project PIs, other post-docs, graduate students, undergraduates, and collaborators from other Universities and local stakeholder groups.
Responsibilities will include:
- Lead and support research. The successful candidate will lead data collation, build and maintain workflows and data pipelines for data QA/QC, and facilitate data sharing within and outside of the lab group. The position will require travel to sites in Alabama, as well as traveling out of state to assist with data collection in Idaho, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
- Data analysis. The successful candidate will assist with ongoing analyses and also have the opportunity to develop and pursue independent research questions related to project goals.
- Mentoring. The successful candidate will work closely with PIs, technicians, graduate students, and undergraduate students across the project to collect and process data. Additionally, the postdoctoral researcher will directly engage with graduate and undergraduate students and research technicians at Alabama A&M.
- Assist with general research operations. The successful candidate will be the go-to person for a variety of tasks required for running a successful collaborative research project. These tasks include maintaining equipment, contribution to writing of manuscripts and reports, and assisting students and/or other post-docs to support the general mission of the AIMS project.
- Workshop Development. The postdoctoral fellow will go through the AIMS multi-stage program, called On Ramps to Data Science, to plan workshops at the Paint Rock Preserve to give learners (including Alabama A&M students) hands-on experiences by observing the sensor array, collecting data, and then using it in data entry and analyses.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should have experience conducting fieldwork in streams, experience with sensors and sensor networks, strong communication skills, project management skills, experience working with large datasets, a background in basic ecological principles, familiar with conducting water chemistry and hydrologic analyses, excellent computational skills, and the ability to effectively manage large data sets. The applicant should be creative and independent, have excellent organizational, communication, and writing skills, a good publication record in aquatic ecology, hydrology, or other related fields, and an interest in working as part of a large collaborative team. Applicants with diverse research backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Candidates must have received a Ph.D. in ecology, hydrology, limnology, biology, fisheries, or a related field by the start date.
To apply: Applicants interested in the position should send an email with subject “MSI AIMS postdoc” to Drs. Dawn Lemke (dawn.lemke@aamu.edu), Carla Atkinson (clatkinson@ua.edu) and Arial Shogren (ashogren@ua.edu). Official application materials are to be uploaded: https://aamu.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=139697&CNTR...
Materials in the email should include:
1. Cover letter mentioning the “MSI: Aquatic Intermittency effects on Microbiomes in Streams (AIMS)” position, a description of past research accomplishments and future research goals.
2. A statement (not to exceed 1 page) that describes the applicant’s commitment to and experience in promoting diversity, equity, and justice
3. The names and contact information for 3 references (maximum of two pages).
4. Curriculum vitae
Review of applications will begin January 15, 2021.
About Alabama A&M University:
Alabama A&M University is a public, historically black, land-grant University. Alabama A&M University is a dynamic and progressive institution with a strong commitment to academic excellence. The picturesque campus is situated only a few miles from downtown Huntsville which is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and boasts many cultural and athletic activities.