Postdoc Position - Predicting migratory bird responses to cl

[Bill Kendall]

Postdoctoral Fellow
Predicting migratory bird responses to climate change: adjusting adaptive habitat and harvest management frameworks for non-stationary system dynamics

Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University
and
Branch of Population & Habitat Assessment, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S.FWS


POSITION TITLE: Post-doctoral Fellow
SALARY: $50-55,000 per year, benefits included.
PERFORMANCE PERIOD: 18 months after start date, anticipate Jan 2012-June 2013 with additional years possible (Contingent upon appropriation of funds)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 18 Nov 2011, or until suitable candidate is found

POSITION SUMMARY:

Colorado State University is seeking candidates for a postdoctoral position to evaluate waterfowl monitoring efforts based on the Waterfowl Breeding Population & Habitat Survey (WBPHS) and to develop population models that incorporate environmental covariates that account for large-scale system changes. These models will be used to evaluate the potential effects of climate change on waterfowl population dynamics and the consequences for adaptive harvest management decision frameworks.
Top priorities include updating population databases for climate change analyses, developing habitat and environmental data scaled to population observations, and determining monitoring and estimation methods that are sensitive to potential changes in both population distributions and critical habitat features. The primary objectives for this post-doctoral position are: 1) to explore long-term data sets for waterfowl to understand and explain factors driving spatial and temporal variability; 2) to develop models relating waterfowl population dynamics to environmental drivers that are linked to system changes predicted by climate models; 3) to predict population responses to climate change and evaluate the implications for long-term monitoring programs that support adaptive harvest management decision frameworks.


DUTIES:

The post-doctoral fellow will be primarily supervised by Dr. Bill Kendall at the Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, at Colorado State University. The incumbent will also work closely with Drs. Emily Silverman and Scott Boomer of the Branch of Population and Habitat Assessment, Division of Migratory Birds, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The postdoc position will be located at Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, located in Laurel, Maryland with significant travel to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.


MINIUMUM REQUIREMENTS:

1. Ph.D. in biology (wildlife), ecology, or related quantitative field by the start date
2. Knowledge of principles and methods of wildlife monitoring and statistical methods used for modeling the population dynamics and trends of bird populations.
3. Demonstrated proficiency with statistical software including Splus or R
4. Demonstrated desire and proficiency to publish in the peer-reviewed literature.

DESIRED ABILITIES:

Competitive candidates will have a background in demographic estimation and population modeling, spatial modeling, knowledge of avian population biology, and knowledge of climate change science including use and interpretation of Global Climate Model output. Experience with WinBUGs software is desirable. The successful candidate should have excellent written and personal communication skills, and be able to work collaboratively.

TO APPLY:

Submit letter of application, CV, copy of transcripts, and reference contact information online at: http://warnercnr.colostate.edu/employment-opportunities.html. For full consideration, all materials must be received by 4:30pm Mountain Standard Time, Friday, Nov 18, 2011.


For further information, contact:

Bill Kendall (William.Kendall@colostate.edu) or Emily Silverman (Emily_Silverman@fws.gov)


Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
Colorado State University is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final candidates being considered for employment. Background checks may include, but are not limited to, criminal history, national sex offender search and motor vehicle history.