The Watershed Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene Lab (http://gersonlab.weebly.com) at Michigan State University is recruiting motivated, collaborative, and curious postdoctoral scholars interested in biogeochemistry. We are actively recruiting for two positions: (1) investigating the fate and cycling of PFAS in surface waters and (2) investigating the impact of Se on Hg microbial methylation and/or accumulation in the base of the food web. Our lab studies how anthropogenic activities have altered the coupled cycling of nutrients and contaminants through watersheds. We examine the fate, transport, and transformation of these elements within and between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including their consequences for people and animals.
The postdoctoral scholars will have flexibility in their research to find a topic that excites them. This research will involve a combination of fieldwork, laboratory analyses, lab experiments, and modeling. The student will be expected to work both independently and collaboratively, to communicate results in peer-reviewed scientific articles and conferences presentations, and to share their work with relevant community members and leaders.
The Gerson Lab is part of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Kellogg Biological Station at Michigan State University. Postdoctoral scholars can also affiliate with the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program. Collectively, these communities provide great opportunities to work and interact with other watershed and ecosystem scientists in a supportive and collaborative environment. We are committed to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.
Desired qualifications: Previous research experience and/or relevant coursework, self-motivation, willingness to learn, positive attitude, interest in a cross-disciplinary approach, ability to work collaboratively in teams, and a commitment to creating an inclusive culture in the research group and more broadly in research science and education.
Funding: The position is funded for at least one year (with the potential for an extension for an additional one to two years). There will also be opportunities for professional development, including presentation of research at conferences. I can also work with you to compile an application to the MSU Ecology Evolution and Behavior Postdoctoral Fellowship (due Nov 6) and other relevant fellowships.
Application: If interested, please review our lab website for more information and then contact Dr. Jacqueline Gerson at gersonja@msu.edu to arrange a zoom call. In your email, please include your CV and briefly address the following: 1) your previous research experience and/or relevant skills, 2) your research interests, and 3) why you are interested in joining this lab. Postdoctoral scholar applicants will be considered as they are received.
Location: Michigan State University is located in East Lansing, Michigan, with Kellogg Biological Station ~1.5 hours away in Hickory Corners, Michigan. MSU is a community of ~50,000 undergraduate and graduate students. East Lansing offers an excellent quality of life, with a reasonable cost of living and access to many outdoor activities (hiking, paddling, biking, cross-country skiing). East Lansing is also ~1 hour from Detroit and Ann Arbor, and ~4 hours from Chicago. MSU is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from women, persons of color, veterans, persons with disabilities and other individuals who can contribute to the intellectual diversity and cultural richness at Michigan State University. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.