Postdoctoral Scholar - Department of Natural Resources (nshe)

Job Description

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or jobs@unr.edu. For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at (775) 784-6778. 

The University of Nevada, Reno is recruiting for a Postdoctoral Fellow to carry out a research project that synthesizes existing knowledge regarding the intersection of fire, climate, and vegetation in the Great Basin.  

This position will work with a diverse interdisciplinary team of leading scientists and administrators in the USDA Climate Hub Network, University of Nevada, Reno, and the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station. The Fellow will also be expected to interact with land managers across the Great Basin to assess science needs and opportunities. 

This position is located on UNR Main Campus and reports to Dr. Peter Weisberg.  Funding is currently available for a 2.5-year period.

The work will include three components:

1) Literature search and synthesis; to describe the existing knowledge regarding the individual and combined influences of fire and climate on plant communities and ecosystems across the Great Basin.

2) Geospatial analysis using existing regional data products to address critical knowledge gaps that have applied relevance, such as developing a framework for distinguishing fuel-limited vs. climate-limited fire regimes in the Great Basin.

3) Manager-oriented decision support products that are designed specifically to meet the expressed needs in regional land management.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in ecology, geography, environmental science, natural resources, or a related field.

• Completion of a doctoral degree in the appropriate discipline is required.

• The doctoral degree must have been completed within the five years immediately preceding the first date of appointment as a postdoctoral fellow at the University.

• The individual cannot have held previous positions in the professional ranks.

Disciplinary expertise 

• Understanding of climate impacts in arid systems, changes in fire regimes and fire patterns in the western United States, and/or common factors affecting plant community dynamics (e.g., successional processes, invasive species, species range shifts). 

  JOB IS FROM: postdocjobs.oneVIEW

Strong quantitative skills

• Data analysis and statistical modeling, preferably in R.

• Data management, analysis of large datasets.

Communication and application 

• Interest in working on applied research topics of relevance to land managers, and in co-development of manager-relevant information and decision support tools. 

• Interest in working on interdisciplinary science teams across multiple agencies and institutions, and in networking with the broader community of Climate Hub Postdoctoral Fellows. 

• Excellent interpersonal skills, strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to work under pressure with tight deadlines. 

Preferred Qualifications

Applicants should have training and demonstrated experience in synthesizing scientific findings, with a preference for experience related to climate change, fire, and/or vegetation. Applicants with experience with geospatial data analysis and visualization, or landscape modeling and demonstrated publication record are encouraged to apply.

Licensure

A valid Class “C” driver’s license or higher operator’s license within 30 days of appointment.

Compensation Grade
Postdoctoral Scholar

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Perks of Working at UNR!

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• Generous annual and sick leave, life insurance– Faculty Benefits

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers an annual or semester membership and family membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Several Diversity Committees and Affinity Groups focusing on campus-wide diversity initiatives to ensure we are working to create a diverse and welcoming campus climate. Diversity Groups

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax!

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Search Contacts

Candidates interested in more information on this position can contact:

Peter Weisberg (pweisberg@unr.edu), Professor, University of Nevada, Reno;

Alexandra Urza (alexandra.urza@usda.gov), Research Ecologist, Rocky Mountain Research Station;

Sarah Barga (sarah.barga@usda.gov), Research Botanist, Rocky Mountain Research Station

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at jobs@unr.edu.

Attach the following attachments to your application

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Contact Information for Three Professional References, (one being your dissertation advisor)

Full Consideration
Materials received by Nov 17, 2023 will receive full consideration.

This posting is open until filled.
Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received, or a hiring decision has been made.

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 75 countries.

The University is classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 university: A doctoral university with very high research activity. In 2020, the University was also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best Global Universities”, and it ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Since 2009, the University has invested more than $850 million in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls. It is home to Nevada’s first medical school — the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine — and delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The University’s main campus is in Reno, Nevada — a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant Midtown and downtown. Located where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra, the University’s beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. In recent years, the University has added two additional locations: the Redfield campus in south Reno and the Wayne L. Prim campus in Incline Village, the home of the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. 

The University is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education, which is comprised of two research universities, one state college, four community colleges and an environmental research institute, and is committed to developing strong partnerships with each institution for the benefit of all Nevadans.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its nearly 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement — all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

 For more information, please visit www.unr.edu

University of Nevada, Reno