[ES_JOBS_NET] Two postdoctoral positions in Paleobiology/Geobiology at Stanford University

[Pulkit Singh]

The Payne Paleobiology Lab at Stanford seeks applicants for two post-doctoral fellowship positions.

Position 1: A post-doctoral fellow who will conduct research related to the evolution of animal body size and/or its relationship to extinction in the fossil record or its relationship to extinction threat in the modern world.  This position will include an expectation of leading a group of 15-20 high school interns across 8 weeks, full time, in the summer, during which time the interns will receive instruction in evolutionary theory and introductory geology, participate in field experiences led by the post-doctoral fellow, and collect and analyze body-size data.  This internship program is part of the <https://sustainability.stanford.edu/admissions-education/k-12-outreach/young-investigators> Stanford Young Investigators<https://sustainability.stanford.edu/admissions-education/k-12-outreach/young-investigators> program in the Doerr School of Sustainability. A PhD in Biology, Earth Sciences, or related disciplines is required.  Prior experience teaching in the classroom and the field is preferred.

Position 2: A post-doctoral fellow who will conduct research in any one of several current areas of interest in the lab, including (but not strictly limited to): mass extinction; evolutionary paleoecology; conservation paleobiology; isotope geochemistry in carbonate rocks; modeling of biogeochemical cycles; carbonate sedimentology, potentially including the use of computer vision tools to automate the interpretation of petrographic images and the compilation of petrographic data. The lab has large collections of Permian-Triassic and Triassic-Jurassic carbonate rock samples, a large database of body sizes for fossil marine animals and living invertebrate species with IUCN threat assessments that could be used or expanded for post-doctoral projects.  There is also funding available for field research if needed.

In addition to salary, each fellow will be supported to attend at least two conferences per year and have access to at least $8k per year to address research-related expenses (e.g., analytical costs, software, field research, conference travel).  Additional funds may be available based on the needs of the fellow's project.

Review of application materials will commence on September 1, 2024.

Required Qualifications:

  *   Completion of doctoral degree in Biology, Earth Sciences, or related disciplines within three years of the initial appointment date.
  *   Demonstrated skills in field geology, laboratory analysis, data analysis, or computer programming as appropriate to the proposed research.
  *   Excellent communication skills are desired.
  *   Previous teaching and/or mentoring experience is required for the position working with high school interns and the final candidate must pass a background check to work with minors.

Required Application Materials:

  *   Cover letter explaining interest in one or both positions (1 page max)
  *   Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  *   Description of past research and future research goals (2 pages max)
  *   Two representative writing samples (published or unpublished)
  *   Names and contact information for two references

 Initial appointment of one year, with expectation of renewal for 1-2 years based on mutual agreement, assuming satisfactory progress.

Appointment Start Date: negotiable

For full consideration, send a complete application in a single PDF to Prof. Jonathan Payne (jlpayne at stanford.edu<mailto:jlpayne at stanford.edu>) with the subject line: “Paleobiology Lab Postdoc"

The expected base pay for these positions is the Stanford University required minimum for all postdoctoral scholars appointed through the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The FY25 minimum is $73,800.

Additional information regarding benefits for postdoctoral fellows is available here: https://postdocbenefits.stanford.edu/my-benefits.

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

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.ucar.edu/pipermail/es_jobs_net/attachments/20240726/ccb01ecb/attachment-0001.htm>