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Postdoc Employee – Agroecological Science / Data Science – ESPM Organisms & the Environment/Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment (DSE)

Job #JPF04804
  • ESPM Organisms & the Environment / College of Natural Resources / UC Berkeley

Position overview

Position title: Postdoc Employee
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/oct-2024-scales/t23.pdf. A reasonable estimate for this position is $87,000 - $95,068 determined by Postdoc Experience Level at appointment.
Percent time: 100
Anticipated start: Spring 2025
Position duration: Two years with the possibility of extension based on performance and availability of funding.

Application Window

Open date: February 28, 2025

Next review date: Saturday, Mar 15, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Monday, Mar 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment (DSE) at UC Berkeley, in collaboration with the Berkeley Agroecology Lab, is accepting applications for the Postdoctoral Employee Title. We are looking for candidates interested in providing domain specific research that informs the development of data enabled solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges.

DSE, in partnership with the Berkeley Agroecology Lab, has been working on data-enabled tools to help inform policies related to mitigating climate risks to agriculture, including how diversified farming systems affect risk. This work has also involved development of remote sensing tools for mapping agricultural diversification practices.

The postdoc will join DSE’s vibrant multidisciplinary cohort of postdocs, data scientists, and software engineers, with ample opportunities for collaboration and training in the skills described above.

Responsibilities:

DSE postdoctoral scholars are a highly valued part of our community. They will contribute to our programs and projects by:

Providing depth to our work (80%)
● Bring discipline specific knowledge in the area of agriculture, agroecology, agricultural economics, and/or agricultural policy to support our data science/software engineering endeavors in those areas
● Directly contributing to the development of data-enabled tools that help to solve an environmental challenge
● Improving the underlying data and models we rely on
● Ensuring that our assumptions and outputs are in line with the current understanding in the field

Growing as a scholar (20%)
● Pursuing and publishing novel findings related to a topic of DSE interest
● Working closely with our team of data scientists and software engineers and finding ways to both learn from their approaches and contributing to next steps and new ideas for the Center
● Engaging faculty and other postdocs across campus for professional development

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
  • PhD (or equivalent international degree) or enrolled in a PhD (or equivalent international degree) program.
Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
  • PhD (or equivalent international degree) required by the appointment start date. The candidate should have no more than three years of post-degree research experience by start date.
Preferred qualifications
  • PhD in agricultural, environmental science and/or data science fields
  • Demonstrate a rigorous and scholarly approach to their science, with a strong track record of publication and outreach
  • Be a compassionate, professional, and reliable team player who values creating and maintaining healthy relationships with partners and stakeholders
  • Have strong communication and diplomacy skills to give and receive feedback, celebrate successes, and constructively confront challenges
  • Have excellent time management and organizational skills
  • Experience or interest in learning open source software design and data curation
  • Experience in agricultural economics or agricultural policy (e.g. crop insurance)
  • Geospatial modeling / remote sensing
  • Machine learning
  • Environmental statistics, especially those involving large spatial scales -Skills in modeling for agroecology, agricultural economics, and / or other complex adaptive systems
  • Domain specific knowledge of and demonstrated research experience in one or more of the following areas
    • Diversified cropping and farming systems, climate impacts on agricultural production, especially risks from climate change, regulating and/or supporting ecosystem services from agriculture

Application Requirements

Document requirements

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter - A strong and concise 1-2 page statement describing your interests and qualifications for the opportunity you are applying for

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04804

Help contact: kkoy@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley 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.

Please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

Job location

Berkeley, CA