Assistant Professor (Aquatic Ecology), Southern Oregon University, OR, USA

Assistant Professor/Biology & Environmental Science & Policy

Southern Oregon University

Position Number: F00178

Rate:

Position Summary:
The Divisions of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Business, Communication, and the Environment (BCE) at Southern Oregon University (SOU) are seeking candidates for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track, Assistant Professor with joint appointments in Biology and ­Environmental Science & Policy, with a specialization in applied aquatic ecology, stream ecology, wetland ecology, or limnology. The candidate should demonstrate competency in biology and environmental sciences broadly with specific interests in aquatic ecology and/or applied biology of aquatic systems. Preference will be given to candidates with an organismal focus.

Initial appointment at the rank of assistant professor requires a terminal degree in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Sciences, or related discipline, or ABD, from an accredited institution.

We seek an individual committed to excellence in undergraduate teaching and research to teach upper-division courses in their area of expertise, as well as core courses and electives in the Biology and Environmental Science & Policy programs. Proven teaching ability and demonstrable research activity are essential. Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to teaching, student advising, and continued scholarly practice.

Candidates should show excellent written and verbal communication skills, organizational and management experience, demonstrable applied field research, and capacity for undergraduate research/program advising. Teaching responsibilities may include online courses. Other responsibilities include advising, curriculum development, research, professional affiliations as appropriate, and other responsibilities as assigned.

We offer excellent comprehensive health and retirement benefits. The start date is September 2022 and the position will be open until filled with priority deadline of February 10, 2022.

Southern Oregon University is a public liberal arts institution of approximately 6,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. The surrounding area is known for cultural offerings such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Ashland International Film Festival, and the Britt Music Festival. The Rogue Valley is also renowned for outdoor activities such as hiking, snowboarding, and fishing. Southern Oregon University is committed to sustainable practices, environmental stewardship, and research that advances our understanding of local, regional, and global environmental issues.

The Biology and Environmental Science & Policy programs are actively engaging in addressing and serving the needs of the growing diversity of its student body and welcomes applicants from a diversity of backgrounds including historically underrepresented groups in higher education.

Minimum Qualifications:
– Terminal degree in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Sciences, or related discipline, or ABD, from an accredited institution.
– Applicants should have at least one year of experience teaching in higher education,
– Applicants should provide documented evidence of teaching excellence and scholarly activities.
– Ability to teach lower-division biology and environmental science courses.
– Ability to teach an organismal level biology course

Preferred Qualification:
– Ph.D. in Ecology, Biology, Environmental Sciences, or related discipline at the time of appointment from an accredited institution.
– More than one year of teaching in higher education teaching, advising, and mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students.
– Experience teaching and supervising students, including students from diverse backgrounds.
– Demonstrated experience with undergraduate research mentoring
– Ability to teach courses in research methodology, including geographic information systems.
– Scholarly research experience in aquatic ecology, biology of aquatic systems and aquatic organisms, stream ecology, or wetland ecology
– Preference will be given to candidates with an organismal focus.
– Ability to work well with a highly interdisciplinary team

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) a cover letter introducing the applicant’s qualifications for and interest in the position; (2) current resume/CV; (3) teaching philosophy (1 page max); (4) research statement describing the research program you will pursue at SOU and how you will involve undergraduate students (in the research document section, 2 page max); (5) a diversity statement explaining your experience with and commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion (1 page max); and (6) at least three professional references. If you are unable to attach the supplemental materials to the online application, please contact Human Resources for assistance.

For inquiries and additional information, please contact: Human Resource Services via email at hrs@sou.edu or by phone at (541)552-8553.

To view SOU’s offers very generous benefits and pension programs available to eligible positions, please visit: https://inside.sou.edu/assets/hrs/Benefits/2021_Employee_Benefits_Overview.pdf
Our benefits package is an important complement to the offered salary and our Total Compensation Calculator, https://inside.sou.edu/hrs/comp-calc.html, demonstrates our value and commitment to our employees.

Special Conditions
-Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
-Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
-Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
-Under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):
-Position classification defined as “exempt” are not subject overtime
-The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the Oregon Revised Statues and is required to comply with the requirements set forth by the Oregon department of Human Services.

Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the “Clery Act”),requires that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on use, possession and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.

An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR)can be accessed at the following link:
https://inside.sou.edu/assets/security/AnnualCrimeReportFinal.pdf. A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy please visit the Campus Public Safety Office at 382 Wightman Street, Ashland OR 97520. For more information call 541-552-6258, or email clerycoordinator@sou.edu.

All applicants must apply online at https://jobs.sou.edu/postings/9627.

Diversity Statement
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.

Postdoc in Environmental Remote Sensing of Lakes (USA)

The MU Limnology Lab in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) and Horn Point Lab (HPL) at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) are seeking an enthusiastic post-doctoral candidate to work on a 3-year NASA funded research project. The overarching goal of the project is to assess the efficacy and accuracy of remotely sensed data to predict water quality metrics in Missouri reservoirs. This project will leverage two large and on-going water quality monitoring programs, and open-source remote-sensing data available through Google Earth Engine.

Candidates must have Ph.D. in limnology, environmental remote sensing, or closely related field. The preferred candidate will be collaborative and keen with a strong background in either limnology or remote sensing.  A significant portion of this research will be working with Python-based Google Earth Engine scripts, so demonstrable programming skills or a genuine desire to acquire these skills is essential.

Applications are accepted until February 22nd, and applicants apply at https://umces.peopleadmin.com/postings/1497.

Chlorophyll and phycocyanin in-situ fluorescence in mixed cyanobacterial species assemblages: Effects of morphology, cell size and growth phase

Authors

Benny Zuse Rousso, Edoardo Bertone, Rodney Stewart, Arthur Aguiar, Ann Chuang, David P. Hamilton, Michele A. Burford

Cyanobacteria harmful blooms can represent a major risk for public health due to potential release of toxins and other noxious compounds in the water. A continuous and high-resolution monitoring of the cyanobacteria population is required due to their rapid dynamics, which has been increasingly done using in-situ fluorescence of phycocyanin (f-PC) and chlorophyll a (f-Chl a). Appropriate in-situ fluorometers calibration is essential because f-PC and f-Chl a are affected by biotic and abiotic factors, including species composition. Measurement of f-PC and f-Chl a in mixed species assemblages during different growth phases – representative of most field conditions – has received little attention. We hypothesized that f-PC and f-Chl a of mixed assemblages of cyanobacteria may be accurately estimated if taxa composition and fluorescence characteristics are known. We also hypothesized that species with different morphologies would have different fluorescence per unit cell and biomass. We tested these hypotheses in a controlled culture experiment in which photosynthetic pigment fluorescence, chemical pigment extraction, optical density and microscopic enumeration of four common cyanobacteria species (Aphanocapsa sp, Microcystis aeruginosa, Dolichospermum circinale and Raphidiopsis raciborskii) were quantified. Both monocultures and mixed cultures were monitored from exponential to late stationary growth phases. The sum of fluorescence of individual species calculated for mixed samples was not significantly different than measured fluorescence of mixed cultures. Estimated and measured f-PC and f-Chl a of mixed cultures had higher correlations and smaller absolute median errors when estimations were based on fluorescence per biomass instead of fluorescence per cell. Largest errors were overestimations of measured fluorescence for species with different morphologies. Fluorescence per cell was significantly different among most species, while fluorescence per unit biomass was not, indicating that conversion of fluorescence to biomass reduces species-specific bias. This study presents new information on the effect of species composition on cyanobacteria fluorescence. Best practices of deployment and operation of fluorometers, and data-driven models supporting in-situ fluorometers calibration are discussed as suitable solutions to minimize taxa-specific bias in fluorescence estimates.

Postdocs and Graduate studentships (Biophysical ocean modeling and marine ecosystem impacts), Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Now recruiting for one or more PhD research assistantships and two postdoctoral research associates in biophysical ocean and ecological modeling and data analysis. Post-masters and post-bachelor researchers are also encouraged to apply. Flexible and remote (within the US) working arrangements are available for many positions.

The Biophysical Ocean Modeling (BOM) Lab in the Department of Ocean and Coastal Science (DOCS) at Louisiana State University (LSU) led by Dr. Cheryl Harrison is currently recruiting new graduate students and research associates to join our research team, with researcher positions open now and student positions beginning as early as Summer 2022. Our research program focuses on modeling interactions between physical and biological processes at a variety of spatial and temporal scales, including the impact of extreme climate forcing events and climate change on ecosystems, fisheries, and biogeochemical processes, and effects of mesoscale transport on ecological processes such as turtle hatchling and larval dispersal. Our research approach is primarily modeling based, running and analyzing Earth system (climate) and regional ocean models, and including biogeochemical, plankton, particle tracking and fisheries models within and forced by regional and climate model output. We have a strong network of national and international colleagues, including FishMIP, the Climate Intervention Biology Working Group, and the Community Climate Intervention Strategies working group. Students will have many opportunities for networking, collaboration and mentoring within these research communities and more focused project teams. For more information about the Harrison Lab, please see: https://chsharrison.wordpress.com, including links to publications and current lab members.

The BOM lab is strongly committed to increasing diversity in the geosciences, and encourages applications from women, parents, underrepresented and minoritized students (Black, Hispanic, first generation, LGBTQ+), and international students from the global south (Latin America, Africa, etc.). While this is a programming-heavy research team, training and support will be provided, given potential research assistants’ excitement for the work. LSU DOCS is ranked in the 2021 top 75 international oceanography programs internationally, and offers a comprehensive graduate curriculum, a supportive department culture, and a strong graduate organization. Baton Rouge has a vibrant and diverse culture, low cost of living, and is 45 min from New Orleans, a top global tourist destination and cultural hot spot.

There are several ongoing projects that research associates could develop projects in:

– Marine impacts of climate shocks and climate intervention strategies. This opportunity leverages our lab’s experience and connection with the extreme forcing and ecosystem modeling communities to study the impacts of climate shocks, such as global cooling events driven by volcanoes, asteroids or nuclear winter, or climate interventions such as solar radiation management (geoengineering). Foci can be on fisheries, plankton, or biogeochemistry impacts, or more climate policy focused topics, depending on applicant research interests.

– The KPg model-data comparison project is a collaborative effort funded by NSF-FRES combining CESM2-WACCM-MRBL simulations of the end-Cretaceous asteroid impact with observed soot and ocean biogeochemical proxies. Our lab is focusing on the ocean biogeochemistry and plankton extinction and recovery, working closely with modelers Clay Tabor at UCONN and Nicole Lovenduski at CU Boulder. We are currently completing setting up the model and the BOM lab is specifically hiring a postdoc to work on ocean model interpretation and comparison with proxies. The broader team includes Julio Sepúlveda at CU, who we expect to work closely with in the next phase of the project, Ken Macleod at UM, Sid Mitra at ECU, and Chuck Bardeen at NCAR. This is a great opportunity to work with an excellent team in a supportive and collaborative environment. The postdoc appointment for this project would be for one year with the opportunity for another given satisfactory progress. We are also recruiting a PhD student for this project.

– Transport and connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico. This project uses several machine learning methods to study connectivity provinces in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, with application to physical and biological transport. The project is in collaboration with Vincent Rossi and MIO in France, Enrico Ser-Giacomi at MIT, and Yonggang Liu and Bob Weisberg at USF. This is largely a physical transport project to start, and then could go in a more ecological application or physical/mathematical/machine learning direction, dependent on applicant research interests.

Job details

Postdoctoral Research associates

Postdoctoral positions start at $48K/year, plus a full benefits package and relocation funding. Flexible and remote working arrangements are available (within the US).

Requirements:
The position has a minimum requirement of a Ph.D. in a related field (oceanography, marine science, earth science, geography, engineering, applied mathematics or physical sciences). Candidates should have experience working with diverse data sets and interpreting results leading to scientific publications. A working knowledge of programming and analysis software such as python, MATLAB or R, and the Unix environment is necessary.

Desired skills:
Experience with climate model data and knowledge of marine ecological processes are strongly preferred. Experience with high-performance computing environments is desired. For the KPg project, paleoclimate experience, especially experience with proxy datasets, is strongly preferred. Experience with fisheries would be useful for many of our projects. Please don’t hesitate to apply if you don’t think you have all the above qualifications, we are committed to training our lab members and offering opportunities to diverse folks.

PhD research associates

We are actively seeking one or more new Ph.D. students, and students with a Master’s in hand are strongly encouraged to apply, however this is not required. Funding for students includes a stipend for tuition and living expenses, as well as computer and conference travel funding. Student stipends are $30K/year, plus tuition remission. We seek students who are highly self-motivated, independent, and creative thinkers that are enthusiastic about pursuing a career in oceanography, climate science, climate data analysis, marine ecology, or similar topics. A strong quantitative background, including physics and calculus is required, and some experience with computer programming is strongly preferred. For all projects below, there is also strong programming support by scientific programmer Victoria Garza, who will be joining the lab full time in Jan 2022. All PhD research associates will need to relocate to Baton Rouge. For more information on the PhD program, please see the DOCS admission requirements page for information on prerequisites and procedures: https://www.lsu.edu/cce/academics/graduate/docs/docs-admissions.php.

Post-bachelor and post-master researchers

I haven’t hired post-master’s and post-bachelor’s researchers yet but look forward to hearing from you if you have skills related to the above projects and we will talk more about what is possible. Minimum you should have some programming skills and experience working with datasets. See above for desired experience.

Applicants should contact Cheryl Harrison by Mar 1, 2022 by email at cherylharrison@lsu.edu. This email should include: (1) a brief statement describing your research interests and career goals; (2) a curriculum vitae or academic resume; (3) an unofficial academic transcript

Aquatic Monitoring Field Technician, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) / The Institute for Natural Resources, CA, USA

OVERVIEW
The Institute for Natural Resources (Portland, OR office; https://www.pdx.edu/institute-natural-resources/) is partnering with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to implement their Aquatic Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy, which is targeted at collecting standardized data from streams across BLM Districts in the western U.S. Work will focus on wadeable streams and rivers across California. In total, there will be one crew based in Northern California (Applegate and Eagle Lake FOs) and three crews based throughout California. Aquatic data collection will follow the AIM National Aquatic Monitoring Framework: Field Protocol for Wadeable Lotic Systems (TR 1735-2), specifically: 1) site evaluation, 2) water quality, 3) physical habitat and canopy cover, 4) macroinvertebrates, 5) photos, and 6) human influences. We will also implement vegetation assessment elements of the Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) protocol.

To assist in this effort, we are recruiting six crew field technicians in the following areas
1. Northern California [starting in mid-April] (1)
2. California Statewide I [starting in early-April] (1)
3. California Statewide II [starting in March] (2)

All crews, except Cal Statewide I, will consist of 1 crew lead, 1 field technician, and 1 botanist. Cal Statewide I will not include a botanist.
All positions are field-based and require rough camping. Sampling sites may sometimes be near a town, but often the towns will have few amenities or entertainment, and crew members should plan to bring all their food with them each hitch. Cell phone service from any carrier (Verizon is usually the best) is poor to non-existent in many areas. Applicants should also understand that this is physically demanding work. The crew will work eight consecutive 10-hour days, followed by a 6-day break, in all kinds of weather, and frequently have to navigate rough gravel roads and 4×4 trails before lugging awkward and heavy equipment across uneven and oftentimes very steep terrain to access a site. Crews must be prepared for the environment that they will be working in. This will include extreme heat, sun exposure, long hours in the vehicle, and may include venomous snakes, wildlife, night driving, wildfires and smoke. The “wadeable streams” we sample range from a few inches deep to fast-flowing small rivers that require good balance, a stout stadia rod, and a willingness to be waist or chest deep in water. A loss of footing means that you may be submerged and will need to self-rescue.
All positions will have the opportunity to conduct sampling in vast and unique habitats with history of wildfires, settlers, and indigenous people. Crews will also gain experience learning a protocol implemented across the Western U.S., identifying plant and animal species native and invasive to the location, and conducting relatively remote field work.
Mandatory training will occur from March 13th-20th for the California crews. Regular field sampling will begin in March and continue into August, for Cal Statewide II, and April/May to September for all other crews. The season will consist of six 80-hour work hitches running from Wednesday to Wednesday. Base of operations for the start and finish of each hitch will be dependent on hiring but will most likely be based in central California for statewide crews and Portland, OR for NorCal. INR will supply all the equipment necessary to carry out the work, including vehicle, sampling equipment, waders and boots, and shared camping equipment (i.e., stove, table, and kitchen supplies). Crew members are expected to provide personal items, including closed toe hiking boots, sleeping bags, and personal tent. Crew members are also responsible for arranging their own housing in between hitches.

QUALIFICATIONS
ALL POSITIONS REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING:
– Full vaccination status with proof of vaccination (https://www.pdx.edu/covid-19-response/vaccinations for more information);

– Experience following established field protocols to conduct sampling and field data collection on new and existing monitoring sites;

• Experience with data entry and management using electronic devices;

– Experience navigating and collecting coordinates with hand-held GPS units and other electronic devices;

– Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access);

– Experience driving and maintaining 4WD trucks especially in off-road situations. Experience driving 4×4/side-by-side/UTV vehicles is preferred. Valid driver’s license and clean driving record (DUI or other serious convictions need not apply);

– Demonstrated ability to work productively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals, and to work independently as required;

– Experience in and willingness to spend multiple days camping in the field where hazards (snakes, bears, deadfall, lightning, poison oak, flash floods, fires, etc.) may be encountered;

– Willingness to work irregular hours in harsh environments and challenging weather, and carry 40-50 pounds in a backpack over uneven terrain;

– Wilderness First Aid a plus; CPR and First Aid Certification expected.

Additional qualifications are specific to each position, and include:

Aquatic Monitoring Field Technician

– A Bachelor’s Degree in Aquatic Ecology, Fisheries, Hydrology, Water Resources or related subject. Experience may be substituted for up to two years of education on a one-to-one basis;

– A minimum of one season of field data collection. Several lab courses with extensive field work can satisfy this requirement. However, preference will be given to people who have collected aquatic or hydrologic data in a work setting.

EXPECTATIONS
In addition to the above qualifications, we expect crew members to commit to the entire field season, to practice safety awareness, including vehicle safety procedures, to communicate regularly with INR support staff and BLM agency staff, to participate in INR and BLM trainings, and to contribute to building a healthy and fun work team environment.

TRAINING
These positions are ideal for people who are committed to ongoing learning and development. You will receive extensive, paid training on the AIM protocols and associated methodology. You will also have the opportunity to interact with seasoned staff scientists from both the BLM and INR throughout training and fieldwork.
Mandatory training will occur on March 13th-20th. These will vary by position: 1-week AIM training for the Aquatic Monitoring Technician and Aquatic Monitoring Crew Lead.

COMPENSATION
Salary is based on qualifications and experience, with the Aquatic Monitoring Technician starting at approximately $16 an hour. All positions will receive a total of $225 per diem for food costs per hitch, and lodging reimbursement of up to $284 per hitch (e.g., for camping and one night in a hotel per hitch). We will also cover per diem, shared hotel lodging costs, and transportation at training.

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit the following in a single pdf to Matthew Foli (Project Manager at INR): foli@pdx.edu. For position information not found in the listing or additional links below, you may contact the email listed above.
1. Letter of interest. In this letter, please describe your background, including any military and volunteer service; professional experience, recreational interests or hobbies that help demonstrate your suitability for work in harsh and challenging conditions; and your reasons for pursuing this opportunity.
2. Curriculum vitae, including all degrees and related coursework.
3. Names and contact information for three (3) references. While we prefer professional references who can attest to your work ethic and technical abilities, we will accept academic references or references from organizations.

Application review will be on a rolling basis, and will continue until all positions are filled. Hiring will be complete no later than March 1, 2022.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information about the Institute for Natural Resources can be found on our website at https://www.pdx.edu/institute-natural-resources/. Additional information on the AIM strategy, including the protocols, can be found at https://aim.landscapetoolbox.org/