| Posting Number | req24306 |
| Department | Sch of Nat Resource&Enviro-Res |
| Department Website Link | https://snre.arizona.edu/ |
| Location | Main Campus |
| Address | Tucson, AZ USA |
| Position Highlights | The School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE) and the USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center (SWRC) are jointly hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The successful candidate will be co-advised by Associate Professor William K. Smith (SNRE) and Senior Researcher Russell L. Scott (SWRC). The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher trained in plant physiological approaches and with research experience in water-limited ecosystems.Work will focus on the physiological functioning of water-limited plants and ecosystems under intensifying hydroclimate extremes. The successful candidate will lead research at the SECA flux tower network (Semiarid ECohydrological Array), which includes eddy covariance flux tower sites – one shrubland, two grasslands, one savanna, and a mixed conifer site – along a water limitation gradient of sites within 100 km of Tucson, Arizona. All sites are collecting weather and AmeriFlux measurements of water, energy and carbon exchange continuously over the last 12-20 years. Due to their location within the Santa Rita Experimental Range (NEON Core Site for the Desert Southwest) and the USDA Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, these USDA-ARS sites have LiDAR, NEON airborne remote sensing, comprehensive water balance measurements, soil respiration data, and tower-based remote sensing including multiple thermal imagers and solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) spectrometers, and they have been subjects of numerous dryland empirical, remote sensing, and modeling studies.The postdoc will be joining a collaborative team but will also have plenty of freedom to develop their own research questions and hypotheses.Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please |
| Duties & Responsibilities | Lead analysis of remote sensing data at the field, drone, and satellite scale.Demonstrated experience with field-based physiological approaches, e.g., photosynthesis, transpiration, plant water potential, leaf or stem psychrometers, chlorophyll fluorescence, spectral reflectance, etc.Demonstrated experience with spatiotemporal analysis using R, Python, and/or comparable computer programming languages.Presenting results at national conferences.Leading the development of manuscripts with the aim of publishing at least one paper a year in a high impact journal. |
| Minimum Qualifications | PhD in ecosystem ecology or a related field.A proven publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals and a demonstrated high level of productivity. |
| Preferred Qualifications | Experience in dryland ecosystem ecology, with a previous research focus on linking ecosystem fluxes and remote sensing, and on satellite and or proximal remote sensing. |
| FLSA | Exempt |
| Full Time/Part Time | Full Time |
| Number of Hours Worked per Week | 40 |
| Job FTE | 1.0 |
| Work Calendar | Fiscal |
| Job Category | Research |
| Benefits Eligible | Yes – Full Benefits |
| Rate of Pay | NIH Salary Guidelines, Depends on Experience |
| Compensation Type | salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE) |
| Type of criminal background check required: | Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive) |
| Number of Vacancies | 1 |
| Target Hire Date | |
| Expected End Date | |
| Contact Information for Candidates | William Smith wksmith@arizona.edu |
| Open Date | 10/28/2025 |
| Open Until Filled | Yes |
| Documents Needed to Apply | Resume and Cover Letter |
| Special Instructions to Applicant | |
| Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report | In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses. These reports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures. Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu. |
