Position overview
Position title: Postdoctoral Scholar: Predicting Species’ Distributions under Climate Change to Inform Biodiversity Conservation
Salary range: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. The posted UCSC salary scales set the minimum pay based on the individual’s Experience Level, which is determined by the number of months of postdoctoral service at any institution. See the salary scale titled, Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee /Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellow / Postdoctoral Scholar-Paid Direct -Fiscal Year. A reasonable estimate for this position is $64,480 - $72,000.
Percent time: Full-time (100%)
Anticipated start: As soon as possible after initial review of the applications. Ph.D. must be in hand at time of the initial appointment.
Position duration: Maximum Duration of Service in a Postdoctoral Title: Postdoctoral Scholar appointments are full-time and the initial appointment is for a minimum of two years, with the possibility of reappointment. The total duration of an individual’s postdoctoral service may not exceed five years, including postdoctoral service at any institution.

Application Window

Open date: October 11, 2023

Next review date: Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Sunday, Dec 31, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for the postdoctoral scholar in Predicting Species’ Distributions under Climate Change to Inform Biodiversity Conservation. Under the direction of Profs. Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela (Conservation Ecology Research Group, Environmental Studies Department) and Erika Zavaleta (Conservation Science & Solutions Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department , the postdoctoral scholar will collaborate on development of California species distribution models for terrestrial vertebrates and plants under climate change with a cross-disciplinary UC team. The position provides a unique opportunity to pursue primary ecological investigation using innovative computational approaches and action-research to address climate change challenges to wildlife, ecosystems and people.

Research in the Conservation Ecology Group focuses on the study and conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and their species by improving species distributions, mapping habitat connectivity under current and future scenarios, and enhancing conservation priority setting efforts. Our work combines field, spatial, computational, and interdisciplinary approaches. Current projects include developing and applying novel habitat connectivity models to conservation planning in California; studying birdwatching tourism in tropical countries; and investigating a century of land cover and climate change on bird populations in Colombia.

Research in the Conservation Science & Solutions Lab addresses varied aspects of biodiversity science including ecological and evolutionary responses to climate change across terrestrial taxa; conservation practice; and ecological knowledge partnerships for restoration and cultural revitalization. Current projects include adaptive responses to climate change in trees and alpine songbirds, cultural burning to restore wetlands and woodlands, and development of tools to facilitate land and species conservation planning in the context of climate change.

The postdoctoral scholar will join a vibrant community across two research groups that value collaborative inquiry; inclusive teaching and mentoring; engagement with policy, practice and non-academic partners; and comprehensive professional development.

Candidates with the following experience are especially encouraged to apply:

• Experience in terrestrial species distribution modeling.
• Experience in terrestrial habitat connectivity modeling.
• Expertise in spatial analysis in ArcGIS or equivalent.
• Excellent Python and/or R programming language skills including management and analysis of large datasets.
• Experience with assembling climate data and future climate projections, and with their application to forecasting land-cover and species distributions.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, including a strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills to contribute to a team that cuts across disciplines and sectors.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
All documents and materials must be submitted as PDFs and should be forwarded to Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela (nocampop@ucsc.edu ), Erika Zavaleta (zavaleta@ucsc.edu ) and Blair McLaughlin (blair.mclaughlin@ucsc.edu ).

Please refer to Position #JPF01645 in all correspondence.

Required Documents/Materials

• Letter of application that briefly summarizes your qualifications and interest in the position
• Curriculum vitae
• Names and contact information for three or more references

RECRUITMENT PERIOD
Full consideration will be given to applications completed by October 31st, 2023. Applications received after this date will be considered only if the position has not been filled.

Conservation Science & Solutions Lab: https://zavaleta.eeb.ucsc.edu/

Department of Environmental Studies Department: https://envs.ucsc.edu/

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Ph.D. (or equivalent foreign degree) in ecology, biology, environmental science, or similar fields.

Help contact: zavaleta@ucsc.edu

Campus Information

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 or by phone at (831) 459-2686.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check (see https://www.uscis.gov/e-verify ). The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz (see https://apo.ucsc.edu/policy/capm/102.530.html ).

UCSC is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at roberts@ucsc.edu (831) 459-4602.

UCSC is committed to addressing the spousal and partner employment needs of our candidates and employees. As part of this commitment, our institution is a member of the Northern California Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (NorCal HERC). Visit the NorCal HERC website at https://www.hercjobs.org/regions/higher-ed-careers-northern-california/ to search for open positions within a commutable distance of our institution.

The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance. For information about employee benefits please visit https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

VISIT UC Santa Cruz: https://www.ucsc.edu

Job location
Santa Cruz, California