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Postdoctoral Research Associate: Land use change, carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry

Employer
Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation
Location
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Salary
This position includes a competitive salary and full benefits.
Closing date
Sep 9, 2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Land use change, carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry

A postdoctoral position is available in Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as part of the Sustainability Theme in the new U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center (BRC), the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI). The goal of the CABBI Sustainability Theme is to develop the predictive capability to determine which feedstock combinations, regions and land types, market conditions, and biofuels and bioproducts have the potential to support the ecologically and economically sustainable displacement of fossil fuels.

The postdoc is sought to support research on carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry in bioenergy sugarcane and reference pasture ecosystems. Job duties include designing and conducting field and laboratory experiments, installing and maintaining field instrumentation, coordinating research activities with a large team of collaborators, supervising technicians and undergraduates, and writing manuscripts. Field work will be centered at the Buck Island Ranch of the Archbold Biological Station in South Central Florida. Buck Island is a 10,000-acre cattle ranch boasting 30 years of agroecological research by investigators from around the world.

The postdoc will work with Drs. Evan DeLucia and Wendy Yang and will collaborate with other ecosystem ecologists, microbial ecologists, ecosystem modelers, ecophysiologists, ecohydrologists, and others in the CABBI Sustainability Theme. Collaboration with researchers in the CABBI Feedstocks and Conversion themes and the other BRCs is encouraged. The postdoc will be housed in the Institute for Genomic Biology with the other UIUC-based CABBI researchers to facilitate these collaborative interactions and help build a strong community of postdocs and graduate students.

Required Qualifications:

  • A Ph.D. or the equivalent in ecology, biogeochemistry, soil science, or related field
  • Experience with laboratory and field work
  • Strong English writing and oral communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Ability to work in a collaborative environment
  • Ability to travel frequently from Illinois to Florida to conduct field research
  • A valid driver’s license

Strong candidates will also possess the following attributes:

  • A strong publication record from their Ph.D. (papers published, in press, or submitted)
  • Experience with soil gas flux measurements, above- and belowground plant sampling, soil coring, and soil/leachate water collection
  • Familiarity with infrared CO2 analyzers, elemental analyzers, gas chromatographs, and flow injection analyzers
  • Knowledge of soil temperature and moisture monitoring equipment
  • Creativity, independence, and the desire to learn new things

All candidates must have received a Ph.D. in a relevant field within the past five years.  The position is available for three years; however, annual renewal is dependent on funding and progress made by the individual. This position includes a competitive salary and full benefits.

Application review will begin September 1, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled. The start date is flexible, but ideally in January 2020. Applications should include a brief cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for three references. Please put “CABBI postdoc application” in the subject line of your email to Anya Knecht, the CABBI Research Coordinator, knecht2@illinois.edu.

For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Evan DeLucia at delucia@illinois.edu or Dr. Wendy Yang at yangw@illinois.edu.

Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu)

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

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