The aim of this postdoctoral project is to develop an individual-based forest model incorporating both species differences and genetic differences in environmental responses, in order to investigate the importance of evolutionary responses relative to species range shifts under different scenarios of climate change and disturbance. The initial appointment will be for one year and is renewable, depending on performance and availability of funding. The salary and benefits package associated with the position are based upon those established by the University of California.
Candidates must have completed a Ph.D. in biology, ecology, modeling, or similar discipline, and have experience programming in C++. Experience with forest models would be particularly valuable. They must also be creative, self-disciplined, and motivated. Additional desirable skills include experience with statistical methods and/or R programming. Review of applications will begin in August 2014 and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration please apply before Sept 20. To apply, please submit 1) a cover letter 2) academic CV, and 3) contact information for three references through https://aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/apply (ignore earlier deadline). If you have questions, please contact me at emoran5@ucmerced.edu
I am also interested in hearing from prospective PhD students interested in the ecological and/or evolutionary responses of plants to environmental change, particularly climate change. Potential projects could involve fieldwork in various California ecosystems including grasslands and Sierra Nevada conifer forests, mathematical modeling, and/or population genetics and genomics. I am accepting students through either the Environmental Systems (http://es.ucmerced.edu/) or Quantitative and Systems Biology (http://qsb.ucmerced.edu/) graduate groups. For more information, please contact me at emoran5@ucmerced.edu.
UC Merced, which opened in September 2005, is the newest school of the 10-campus University of California system (http://www.ucmerced.edu/).. The university is still small (6,300 students, 270 faculty), but is diverse and rapidly growing. Merced is a town of 80 thousand people located in the central valley. It is conveniently located 1 hour north of Fresno (the closest airport), 2 hours east of Berkeley and San Francisco, 2 hours south of Davis and Sacramento, and 2 hours west of Yosemite National Park. The University of California, Merced is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity among its faculty, staff, and students.
Emily Moran emoran5@ucmerced.edu
