Description

Position Description

Performs specialized Post Doctoral work in the planning, conducting and/or supervision of original research. Responsible for participating in a research project associated with PhD studies and the interpretation of the results of publication. Work is performed under supervision of graduate faculty members with evaluation based on accomplishment of assigned objectives and overall effectiveness of project. May supervise research and student assistants.

About the Department and/or College

The Pedology Laboratory in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University and the Catchment Hydrology and Spatial Analysis Laboratory in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of California - Riverside seek to recruit a jointly-mentored Post-Doctoral Research Associate to study the impacts of nature-based solutions on soil morphology and plant-available water storage to mitigate stormwater runoff in the Lower Los Angeles River (LLAR) watershed in Los Angeles County, California.

Major/Essential Functions

The successful applicant will work on the following aspects of the project:

1. Leading field campaigns at select sites in the LLAR to excavate, describe, and sample soils
2. Installing and maintaining a network of soil sensors
3. Analyzing samples in the laboratory for soil physical, chemical, and morphological properties (4) Developing and implementing numerical modeling experiments using HYDRUS and/or ParFlow.CLM
4. Assisting in the development of a calculator tool to quantify the performance of proposed infrastructure projects to the LA County Safe, Clean Water Program (SCWP).

The Post-Doctoral Research Associate will be based at Texas Tech University and expected to actively participate in and lead regular and annual project meetings as well as lead papers stemming from this work. This position will provide the successful candidate with professional development opportunities (e.g., modeling, field work, and laboratory analysis) within the context of a highly collaborative, multi-institutional, and interdisciplinary team. This position is for one year with the possibility of extension for another year based on performance evaluation.

Required Qualifications

PhD in area of project specialization. Knowledge of modern research practices, the methods, resources, and standards thereof. Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities. Ability to integrate resources, policies, and information for the determination of procedures, solutions and other outcomes. Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with other employees and the public. Ability to plan and allocate the workload of employees, providing direct training and supervision as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in soil science, hydrology, critical zone science, ecosystem ecology, or related field
• Demonstrated record of quantitative research experience that includes fieldwork, laboratory analyses, and statistical analyses
• Ability to describe soil morphological properties in the field
• Extensive experience with a scripting language such as R, Python, or MATLAB and the analysis of complex datasets
• Hydrologic modeling experience
• Record of publishing in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• Fluency in R
• Experience with HYDRUS and/or ParFlow-CLM
• Proximal sensing experience applied to soils especially VisNIR imaging
• Demonstrated experience successfully working with and mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students

Special Instructions to Applicants

Application Materials:

• One-page cover letter describing the applicant's research experiences and interests
• Curriculum vitae including a summary of education and research experience, publication list, involvement in research grants, etc.
• Copy of the PhD certificate
• Names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers for at least three academic referees

Pay Statement

Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan. For additional information, please reference the institutional pay plan by visiting www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/payplan.

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.