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Postdoctoral Researcher: avian diversity and forest management
Job Description
- Agency
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Location
- Ithaca, NY
- Job Category
- Post Doctoral Appointments
- Salary
- $56,000-$64,000 DOE
- Last Date to Apply
- 09/01/2023
- Website
- https://www.birds.cornell.edu/ccb/
- Description
- The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Therefore, we strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. The Lab of Ornithology and the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, where this position is based, is an inclusive community and welcomes anyone who has an interest in bioacoustics, including people of every age, gender, ethnicity, race, skin color, religion, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, nationality, or background, among others. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and home to Cornell University's second-largest population of students, faculty, and staff. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy, and environmental resources; and social, physical, and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments, and their communities both in New York state and around the world. The Cornell Lab is a global leader in ornithological research & conservation and is currently home to a vibrant community of several dozen postdoctoral associates working across all programs. We strive to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for this community that fosters personal growth and career advancement. Within the Lab, the Yang Center (https://bioacoustics.cornell.edu) is defined by its application of bioacoustic techniques to biodiversity conservation. Ecological research, hardware and software engineering, and global capacity building are the Yang Center's pillars of bioacoustic innovation. The incumbent will join a lab group in the Yang Center run by Dr. Connor Wood (connormwood.com) to study the effects of forest management legacies on bird diversity in California's Sierra Nevada. This is one of two postdoctoral researcher openings in that Yang Center; applicants interested in both positions will need to apply separately to each position through Academic Jobs Online. Position Function The project draws on an ongoing ecosystem-scale passive acoustic monitoring program that generates ~1 million hours of audio annually, the machine learning algorithm BirdNET (https://birdnet.cornell.edu), which generates avian diversity data from the audio, and remotely sensed forest structure datasets that describe both forest management history and current conditions. Core objectives include using Bayesian multispecies occupancy models to: (1) explore the influence of forest management history on contemporary avian biodiversity (80-100 species) and (2) inform the development of a bird diversity index to facilitate quantitative assessments of the effects of forest restoration on biodiversity. The project scope provides an opportunity to make direct contributions to conservation and basic ecology. It is also particularly collaborative: the incumbent will work closely with Dr. Zach Peery (University of Wisconsin-Madison), federal agency biologists and managers (U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service), and academic researchers specializing in ecology, statistics, and computer science. In addition to working with external partners, the postdoctoral associate will be working closely with scientists in the Yang Center and other programs at the Lab. We encourage postdoctoral associates to explore related research questions and collaborate on projects conducted in the Lab and with partners. This position is a two-year position appointed annually with successful performance. Further extension is contingent upon funding. Anticipated Division of Time Expected outcomes of this work are the submission of two manuscripts to high-impact peer-reviewed journals and coordination with agency partners to directly apply results to conservation in the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. It is understood that incumbents may have outstanding work remaining from previous positions and will need to apply to subsequent positions; time spent on these activities should be appropriate to the stage of the position. There is no required fieldwork, but the incumbent would be encouraged to spend some time (e.g., two weeks) in the Sierra Nevada. • Develop and conduct avian biodiversity research to meet project goals. Analyze research findings. Apply results to conservation in the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. (60%) • Present results at professional meetings, conferences, and popular seminars. Prepare two manuscripts for high impact peer reviewed journals and other research products, including reports and relevant information to partners. (25%) • Engaging with partners and possible funders. Participate in career and professional development opportunities. (10%) • Engage in ongoing academic and intellectual life at the Lab of Ornithology and Cornell University. (5%) Supervision Exercised The incumbent will be expected to meet regularly with project collaborators (within the Yang Center, at other universities, and in government agencies). In addition, there are opportunities for the incumbent to mentor undergraduate students and possibly contribute to informal mentoring graduate students, but neither activity is expected or required. Salary, rewards, and benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience, up to $64,000 per year and includes benefits. Fully remote work will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Local personnel will have the flexibility to work on a hybrid schedule with opportunities to work on-site and from home. Benefits provided by Cornell include a broad range of comprehensive health care options, generous paid leave provisions: 3 weeks of vacation, 13 holidays (including end of year winter break), paid family leave, and superior retirement contributions. Additionally, Cornell provides access to professional development initiatives, wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. To apply: Please apply via Academic Jobs Online: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/25051
- Qualifications
- Qualifications • Required: A Ph.D. in biological or ecological sciences or statistics. • Required: Writing skills and a strong publication record for the professional stage of the applicant • Preferred: Quantitative skills and experience with terrestrial population modeling, particularly in an occupancy framework. • Other beneficial qualifications include: familiarity with Bayesian statistics, experience working with large acoustic datasets, GIS skills, experience analyzing remotely sensed data, familiarity with machine learning tools, and field experience with birds and/or the Sierra Nevada ecosystem.
- Contact Person
- Connor Wood (cmw289@cornell.edu)
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