Job description
Job no: 492603Work type: Grant Funded
Location: Lewiston, ME
Categories: Salary, Academic Programs and Departments
Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate (Environmental Studies)
Position Purpose:
Bates College seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to become a key collaborator in a cross-state interdisciplinary project using remote sensing, aquatic robotics, aerial drones, and traditional limnological sampling and high-frequency data to predict cyanobacterial blooms. This person will coordinate data management and data analyses across multiple sites and labs and work with and facilitate the participation of people with a variety of educational backgrounds, career stages, and experience. The postdoc will also be involved in cross-site field data collection and supervision of undergraduate researchers. Substantive engagement with issues of equity, inclusion, access, anti-racism, and diversity in STEM will be expected. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with marginalized identities in environmental science and individuals who may have followed non-traditional pathways to higher education. The postdoc will be involved in the Environmental Studies Program at Bates College and will have access to workshops on teaching development, inclusive practices in STEM, and funded opportunities to attend research conferences and whole-team meetings. Initial appointment is for one year with an additional year dependent upon performance and funding.
Review of applications will begin on 1 December and will continue until the position is filled.
Job Duties:
- Coordinate collection, management, and analysis of data, as well as field work and laboratory analyses, across multiple sites and labs, particularly those associated with Bates and Colby but also commonly Dartmouth and the University of New Hampshire.
- Maintain best practices for safety, equity, access, anti-racism, and inclusivity across all activities and foster respect and full participation of all project personnel with whom interactions occur.
- Synthesize and analyze information from multiple data streams including remote sensing, aquatic robotics, aerial drones, traditional limnological sampling, and deployed buoys collecting high-frequency data.
- Deploy and maintain buoys and sensor strings on four area lakes.
- Troubleshoot problems with sensors and sampling equipment.
- Assist in field and laboratory data collection and analysis.
- Assist in sample and data management—from collection to shipping and analysis—and coordinate data sharing with others as needed.
- Help hire summer undergraduates on the project and play a key role in supervising and mentoring undergraduate students in the field and laboratory during the summer and the academic year.
- Communicate effectively about plans and research findings across teams focusing on limnology, remote sensing, robotics, and machine learning.
- Assist in manuscript preparation and grant reporting requirements as appropriate.
- Prepare analyses and slides or posters for presentations at local organizations, whole-team meetings, and professional conferences.
- Lead the analyses and writing for at least one paper related to the research and make substantial contributions to several additional papers as appropriate to expertise
- Other research duties as needed.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education
- Doctorate in environmental science, ecology, or a related field. Doctorate in data or computer science or related field considered if experience also includes familiarity with ecological research and limnological data sets and demonstrated ability to perform needed tasks. Degree by February 2023 preferred; ABD considered.
Experience
- Strong background in limnology, ecology, or related field.
- Prior work in management or analysis of large ecological data sets.
- Demonstrated commitment to issues of equity and inclusion.
- Prior work with a collaborative team.
- Facility in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and R.
- Experience with remotely sensed data, statistical analysis of heterogeneous data sets, modeling, or programming preferred.
Skills and Knowledge
- Experience working with and managing large ecological datasets.
- Familiarity with field practices, laboratory analyses, and data of limnological research.
- Excellent organizational and logistical practices for field, laboratory, and data activities.
- Exceptional communication (written, verbal, and presentation) required.
- Awareness of issues of power and privilege and some of the ways these may influence both situations and interpersonal interactions. Willingness and ability to intercede as necessary to maintain opportunities for students from underrepresented groups. Openness to learning more about these issues.
- Ability to center inclusive research and anti-racist practices.
- Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop and maintain collegial relationships as part of a research team. Must be flexible and collaborative and have a positive attitude. A sense of humor is appreciated.
- Ability to work with a high level of independence to handle multiple research priorities and exercise judgement within defined research expectations and objectives.
- Excellent critical-thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills; ability to synthesize complex or diverse information.
- Attention to detail and documentation of work—both successful and unsuccessful—is essential, including a willingness to admit errors, communicate problems, and work toward solutions.
- Willingness to work around water and boats (canoes and motor boats).
- Stamina sufficient for an entire day of field or laboratory work (with breaks). Work might involve lifting coolers with samples or boats, so strength sufficient to do this without injury matters.
Benefits:
Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits (health, dental, sick leave, 24 days of vacation, 2 personal days, 12 paid holidays, dependent care subsidy, free parking, access to library and athletic facilities & more) and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug- and smoke-free workplace.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Bates College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and providing an educational and work environment free from discrimination. The college prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status and other legally protected statuses in the recruitment and admission of its students, in the administration of its education policies and programs, or in the recruitment of its faculty and staff. Bates College adheres to all applicable state and federal equal opportunity laws and regulations. All college faculty, staff, students, contractors, visitors, and volunteers are responsible for understanding and complying with the Non-Discrimination Policy.
Inquiries concerning the college’s policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/Section 504), and complaints may be directed to Gwen Lexow, Title IX Officer, 207-786-6445 or via email at [email protected]
About Bates:
Bates is internationally recognized as a leading liberal arts college, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world.
Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. Committed to opportunity and excellence, Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race, religion, or national origin.
Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Bates prepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal for responsible stewardship of the wider world. Bates engages the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology — that are transforming higher education and the world into which our students graduate.
Bates has highly competitive admissions, graduates over 90 percent of its entering students, and more than half of its alumni earn graduate degrees. Bates employs 200 faculty members and 550 staff.
The college is proud of deep roots in the Lewiston/Auburn community, Maine’s second-largest urban area with a population of approximately 65,000. Bates is located on a beautiful, 133-acre, traditional New England campus in Lewiston, an emerging city with an entrepreneurial climate, a lively arts scene, and a dynamic business community. Bates is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 miles north of Boston, and 350 miles north of New York City.
Advertised: Oct 25 2022 Eastern Daylight Time
