[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoctoral Position in Human-Wildlife Relationships

[Bilal Butt]

*Position Description*
<https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/238571/research-fellow>

The School for Environment and Sustainability is seeking a postdoctoral
fellow to work with the Pastoralism Lab to research and conduct statistical
analysis on pastoral livestock movements and forage interactions with
wildlife in East Africa for an NSF Grant. The research will be concerned
with statistical analysis and preparation of publications from empirical
field data collected previously on the spatial dynamics of wildlife and
livestock in the Maasai Mara ecosystems of Southwestern Kenya.  The
research will evaluate questions related to the spatial utilization,
overlaps, and effects of wildlife and livestock on grazing ecology,
including analysis of GPS derived cattle tracking and movements in relation
to forage quality and quantity. The fellow will also work to link empirical
field data (including soil physical and chemical analysis, protein content
harvested from grass samples, dung counts of wildlife and livestock across
spatial transects) with imagery from MODIS and other satellite imagery to
compile a comprehensive dataset of biotic interactions. The fellow will
also work with a diverse team of graduate students to provide experience
with data entry, analysis, journal preparation, and mentoring.

The successful applicant's appointment will be the University of Michigan's
School for Environment and Sustainability located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This person will spend their on-site work time at the School for
Environment and Sustainability and the Pastoralism Lab in Ann Arbor,
Michigan. Remote and flexible work agreements may be made to allow for
partial off-site work at a remote location.

Term-Limited: The initial appointment is for one year, with an opportunity
for extension based on performance, need, and availability of funds.

*Mission Statement*

The School for Environment and Sustainability (https://seas.umich.edu/) is
a collaborative and interdisciplinary school. Our mission includes
contributing to the protection of environmental resources and the
achievement of a sustainable society. We accomplish this by generating and
sharing knowledge, contributing to policy, and engaging managers and
stakeholders. The University of Michigan is a top-ranked public university
with excellence in research and teaching.  Ann Arbor, home to the
University of Michigan, is a town known for arts, culture, parks and
restaurants.

SEAS is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable
environment that respects diverse experiences, promotes generous listening
and communications, and discourages and restoratively responds to acts of
discrimination, harassment, or injustice. Our commitment to diversity,
equity and inclusion is deeply rooted in our values for a sustainable and
just society.


*Responsibilities**

   - Conduct data clean, entry, and analysis of wildlife-livestock
   competition using spatial analysis and statistical analysis/modeling,
   including manipulation of multiple datasets (soil, vegetation, and
   wildlife-livestock dung counts).
   - Analyze and model animal movements in relation to forage quality and
   quantity
   - Conduct analysis on the relationships between satellite derived
   indicators (e.g. MODIS NDVI) and on the ground estimates of biomass
   availability
   - Lead publication preparation and submission to ecology, spatial
   analysis, and geography specialist journals.
   - Assist workshop planning and networking for a conference on
   wildlife-livestock relationships globally.
   - Present analysis and feedback to stakeholders on wildlife-livestock
   competition and conflict in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Maasai Mara, Narok
   County, Kenya.

*Required Qualifications**

   - A Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Vegetation Ecology, Animal
   Behavior, Geography, Spatial Statistics, or a similar field
   - Experience with an understanding of wildlife-livestock human dynamics
   in drylands ecosystems (preferably East Africa)
   - Experience with soil-vegetation dynamics in dryland ecosystems and/or
   plant-herbivore interactions
   - Familiarity with data analysis and visualization in a scripting
   environment using R, Python, or similar software
   - Experience with running simulations on supercomputer or cluster
   computing environments
   - Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work both as
   a team and independently


*How to Apply* <https://careers.umich.edu/job_detail/apply/238571>

Applicants should send the following materials with their application:

   - Cover letter describing your qualifications related to the position
   and research accomplishments
   - Curriculum vitae
   - Contact information for three professional references
   - Two representative publications
   - Application materials must be uploaded as a single file. If your file
   exceeds the maximum size limit or you are unable to merge files, please
   upload your cover letter and CV only and email the remaining documents to
   Dr. Bilal Butt (bilalb at umich.edu)

*Why Work at Michigan?*

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University
of Michigan offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a
secure future. Benefits include:

Generous time off
Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
Life insurance
Long-term disability coverage
Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all qualified individuals
regardless of background and identity. To apply, please complete the
application on the U-M Careers site. A one-page cover letter is required
for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first
page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest
in the position and outline experience that is directly related to this
position.
U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.ucar.edu/pipermail/es_jobs_net/attachments/20230821/52c96da3/attachment.htm>