[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoc position: U.S.-wide estimation of land value and conservation cost

[Christoph Nolte]

[Reposting, as position remains unfilled. Please disseminate widely.]

The PLACES lab at Boston University (BU) is offering an NSF-funded position
for a *postdoctoral researcher or research scientist* with a strong
skillset in spatiotemporal statistics, machine learning, or causal
inference, and an interest in land conservation policy in the United States.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of U.S.-wide,
parcel-level estimates of land value and the cost of long-term conservation
(land purchase, easements)*. Findings and products will support policy
analyses and decision-making processes of academic, federal, and non-profit
stakeholders interested in identifying effective and equitable land use
choices under the federal administration's current initiative to protect
30% of the U.S. by 2030. The research is to be funded under NSF's
Human-Environment & Geographical Sciences program.


The researcher will have the opportunity to work with a unique and
fascinating dataset that is scheduled to expire on Sept 30, 2023:
geospatial data of 150 million U.S. properties and sales with a wide range
of social and environmental characteristics (placeslab.org/dictionary).
Research priorities will be defined jointly. Creative extensions are
welcome.


The ideal candidate will have:

   - A PhD (or similar experience) in economics, statistics, data science,
   geography, environmental science, or a similar field with a strong
   quantitative research profile.
   - Prior experience with geospatial statistics, machine learning, and/or
   econometrics (in particular causal inference from observational data).
   - An emerging publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
   - Interest in understanding land conservation policy in the United
   States.

Knowledge in the following domains will be an asset (but not expected):

   - Geospatial packages in Python (geopandas, rasterio, etc.).
   - Parallelized computing (Linux, SunGrid).
   - Principles of land and easement valuation.

The position starts as soon as possible, ideally not after Sept 2022. The
initial contract duration will be 18 months. Remote work is an option.
Continuation of this research with other data is contingent on the success
of grants to which the candidate can contribute. BU offers a competitive
salary ($62K) and benefits package.



Interested applicants should contact Christoph Nolte (chrnolte at bu.edu) with
their CV, a letter of interest that includes a statement of fit with the
position, publications, and contact information of 2-3 reference letter
writers. Review of applications will begin on June 1, 2022, and occur
on a *rolling
basis* until the position is filled. For updates on the status of this
search, visit: placeslab.org/postdoc.



BU is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will
receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran
status, or any other characteristic protected by law.



--



* For more information, visit placeslab.org/fmv_usa or consult the
following articles:



Nolte (2020) High-resolution land value maps reveal underestimation of
conservation cost in the United States. PNAS (link
<https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2012865117>)



Nolte et al. (2021) Studying the impacts of environmental amenities and
hazards with nationwide property data: best data practices for
interpretable and reproducible analyses. SSRN (link
<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3900806>)

-- 
*Christoph Nolte*
Assistant Professor
Earth & Environment
Boston University
chrnolte at bu.edu
www.placeslab.org
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