Postdoc in Palm Ecology, Conservation, and Sustainable Management San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research seeks a postdoctoral fellow (with funding up to five years) interested in the sustainable use and management of wild palm populations. The position will focus on three harvested palm species (Chamaedorea, Brahea, and Astrocaryum spp.) to better understand how palms respond to leaf harvest and to develop best management practices and certification protocols. Activities will include demographic studies, manipulative experiments, research on palm-wildlife interactions, and modeling, in addition to reforestation, restoration, and other community-based conservation activities. Field work will occur at multiple study sites in Mexico and Peru.
The successful candidate will have a PhD in a related field and must be fluent in English and Spanish. Candidates should have experience in plant population ecology and demographic analyses; ability to collaborate and work with others across disciplines and cultures; knowledge and experience in community-based conservation, a strong commitment to applied conservation research; and the ability to work in challenging field conditions. Additionally, personnel-management, organization, data analysis, and communications skills are highly desirable. Starting date: August 2009 (preferred). Funding is available for five years, though the Fellow is expected to write additional grants for project support. To apply: Send a letter describing your interests and experience, CV, three letters of recommendation (emailed separately), and any relevant publications to: Bryan Endress, Division Head, Applied Plant Ecology, San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027. Electronic applications (PDF/Word documents) are preferred: email to: bendr...@sandiegozoo.org. Please visit http://www.sandiegozoo.org/conservation/ for more information about San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research. Please contact Bryan Endress (email above) for any questions. Application Deadline May 10, 2009.
