Department of Environmental Sciences invites applicants for a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Virginia, to work on quantifying and predicting forest soil biogeochemical processes that control nutrient and toxic element ecosystem services in forests of the eastern United States.

Understanding the processes the govern the spatial and temporal variability of ecosystem services is essential to optimizing land management, and ensures longevity of nutrient cycling and sequester toxic elements in forest soils. The successful candidate will leverage existing sets and generate new data sets to investigate the spatial and temporal scaling of nutrient cycling and toxic element sequestration. Along with collaborators within the multi-institutional project, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will collect and integrate geochemical and physiochemical soil measurements to predict sequestration and transport of nutrient, micronutrient and/or toxic elements in the parent material-soil-plant continuum in rural and peri-urban forest soils from southern states (North Carolina or Virginia) up to New England (New Hampshire and Vermont). The project is supervised by Dr. Justin B. Richardson.

The successful candidate will lead the synthesis of existing data, collecting new forest soil samples, and integrate them into spatial models using geospatial tools (e.g. ArcMap, QGIS) and resources (e.g SSURGO, surficial geology vectors) or a process-based biogeochemistry models (e.g. CENTURY model, PnET, BGM-Model) to predict the abundance, storage, and transport of the elements. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will also mentor undergraduate and graduate students, participate in field excursions for tree and soil sampling, attend at least one conference per year, and conduct all stages of a research project from conceptualization to manuscript publishing in peer-reviewed journals, with the expectation that the Postdoctoral Research Associate publishes two peer-reviewed manuscripts as first author and as co-author on other manuscripts over the duration of the 2-year appointment (contingent on a successful annual review following the first year).

The University of Virginia, College of Arts and Sciences has many opportunities to explore careers through networking, development of mentorship skills, workshops through the UVA Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, such as the PhD Plus professional development series.

The anticipated start date for the Postdoctoral Research Associate is June to September 2024.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• A PhD degree in Earth or Environmental Sciences, Biogeochemistry, Soil Science, or a relevant program by the start date.
• Must demonstrate the ability to work in a collaborative and inclusive group. Experience in the soil science, analytical chemistry, and/or physicochemical analyses of soils is required.
• Must have two related first-author peer-reviewed publication.
• Must have a valid Driver’s License to travel to field sites.
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Preferred requirements:

• Forest ecosystem science background (course work and field sampling).
• Proficiency in coding and modeling in either R, Matlab, or Python is desired.
• Examples of serving as a mentor and project management.
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Physical demands: This is a mix of data analyses and technical writing using a desktop computer as well as conducting field sampling outdoors during the growing season, and  making analytical measurements (sample preparation, standard preparation, running instrumentation)  in a laboratory setting. For fieldwork, carrying equipment and samples up to 40 lbs is required. On no more than three occasions per year, this position requires overnight travel within the United States beyond the Mid-Atlantic region to attend meetings, programs, and laboratory visits.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:  Apply online at  https://uva.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UVAJobs/job/Charlottesville-VA/Research-Associate-in-Environmental-Sciences_R0061254 and attach the following;

• CV/resume
• Cover letter (2 page) that describes:

• Your research interest in forest soil biogeochemistry and this project
• any relevant experience, skills, and interests that make you a strong candidate for this position
• the relevance of your PhD program if other than in the fields of Earth or environmental sciences
• how this position will benefit your professional goals
• your philosophy on research collaboration and research progress and outreach for the benefit of society, as well as commitment, experience, and plans to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion with the biogeosciences

• contact information for three individuals who can provide professional reference letters. 

Please note that multiple documents can be uploaded in the box.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications will be rolling, beginning on June 8, 2024 until  September 15, 2024. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.  

This is a one-year appointment; however, the appointment may be renewed for an additional one-year period, contingent upon available funding and satisfactory performance. 

For questions regarding this position, contact Dr. Justin Richardson, Assistant Professor, at justin.richardson@virginia.edu   

For questions regarding the application process, contact Rich Haverstrom, Academic Recruiter, at rkh6j@virginia.edu

For more information on the benefits available to postdoctoral associates at UVA, visit postdoc.virginia.edu and hr.virginia.edu/benefits. 

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.