Berkeley Lab's Climate & Ecosystems Division has an opening for a Postdoctoral Scholar. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments–Tropics, or NGEE-Tropics, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is a multi-institutional research project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER). NGEE-Tropics aims to fill the critical gaps in knowledge of tropical forest-climate system interactions, and has as its overarching goal the development of predictive understanding of how tropical forest carbon balance and climate system feedbacks will respond to changing environmental drivers over the 21st Century. A key focus of the work is the study of process-level controls on forest regeneration trajectories following diverse disturbance types, including through nutrient availability and cycling.

You will collect, synthesize and analyze data from across natural soil gradients, land use histories, and nutrient manipulation experiments to understand how nutrients and their interaction with other key factors influence forest functional composition and ecosystem processes through post-disturbance recovery of tropical forests. Results will inform development of vegetation demographic models and their representation of the abiotic and biotic interactions that influence local, regional and global water and biogeochemical cycles. You will be based in LBNL's Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division and will spend time working in Puerto Rico. We seek a highly motivated and productive early-career scientist who would thrive in this dynamic environment.  

What You Will Do:

• Synthesize and analyze plant demographic, plant trait, soil and ecosystem process datasets from diverse sources, including remote sensing observations.

• Collect timely new field data to fill gaps in existing datasets.

• Apply ecological and soil science theories to investigate process level controls on the assembly of tropical forest communities and associated ecosystem structure and function.

• Collaborate with the FATES and E3SM modeling communities on model development, testing, and applications involving Puerto Rican forests.

• Publish results in high-quality journals and contribute to proposals involving tropical forest regeneration and nutrient cycling.

What is Required:

• PhD in relevant field (e.g. ecology, forestry, geography, soil science).

• Data processing and analysis experience.

• Field research experience.

• Solid background in ecological, plant physiological, and biogeochemical theory.

• Interest in the application and testing of state-of-the-art vegetation and land-surface models.

• Record of publishing research in peer-reviewed journals.

• Desire to work within an integrated, multi-institution team whose activities span from field research to Earth system model development.

Additional Desired Qualifications:

• Tropical field research experience.

• Model development skills.

• Fluency in Spanish.

• Availability to travel for meetings at partner institutions.

The posting shall remain open until the position is filled

Notes:

• This is a full time, 1 year, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 4 years paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.

• Full-time, M-F, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay.

• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.

• Salary will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates.

• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.

• Work will be primarily performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA.

Berkeley Lab (LBNL) addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. Berkeley Lab is in compliance with the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision under 41 CFR 60-1.4.  Click here to view the poster and supplement: "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law."