This is a re-post from two weeks ago. We have started reviewing applications for this position, but will consider new applicants until a hiring decision is made. Applications should be made online through https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu, as indicated below.
Mark Dixon -----Original Message----- Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate Agency: University of South Dakota, Department of Biology Location: Vermillion, SD Job Description: We seek a postdoc for a project modeling the potential future effects of landscape change on cottonwood forests and breeding songbirds along a large portion of the Missouri River in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. The postdoc will model changes in future forest area and age distribution as a function of successional processes, river management, and land use, and the potential effects of these changes on abundances of selected songbird species. This project will involve little or no collection of new field data (with the exception of some land cover mapping), but will focus primarily on integrating/synthesizing existing GIS, vegetation, and songbird data sets to project the implications of current management and land use trajectories on Missouri River floodplain forests. Expected products include development of publications, as well as models and projections useful for federal agencies managing cottonwood forests along the Missouri Rive! r. The postdoc will be housed in the lab of Dr. Mark Dixon at the University of South Dakota (http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/biology/mark-dixon.cfm ). Preferred Qualifications/Expertise: * Ph.D. in ecology, wildlife biology, forestry, geography, zoology, or related fields * Experience using program DISTANCE to model bird densities from point count data * Familiarity with GIS and with interpreting land cover from aerial photography * Experience with modeling landscape change and/or succession through transition models (e.g., first-order Markov or multinomial logit models), dynamic simulation programs (e.g., STELLA, VDDT), or other approaches * Solid statistical skills (e.g., general linear models, occupancy modeling, CART, multiple regression, or other tools) using SAS, R, or other packages * Excellent writing (documented record of publication is a plus), communication and organizational skills. * Familiarity with or interest in concepts related to landscape and disturbance ecology, floodplain forests, large river ecology and management, avian ecology, or a combination of these. Salary: $40,000 plus benefits Starting Date: September 1, 2011 Duration: 1 year, with possibility of renewal for 2nd year (conditional on funding and performance) How to Apply: Questions regarding the position may be directed toward Dr. Dixon (mark.di...@usd.edu<mailto:mark.di...@usd.edu>). Applicants must provide a cover letter that describes background with respect to the qualifications listed above, along with a CV and names and contact information for at least three references. Applicants must apply online at https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu. All offers of employment will be contingent on the favorable results of a background check. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. The University of South Dakota (http://www.usd.edu) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, staff and students.
