Postdoctoral Researcher in Arctic Ecology at the University of Alaska

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our team in studying beaver engineering as a new disturbance to the Arctic ecosystem. The researcher will be involved in conducting research as part of the Arctic Beaver Observation Network (https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/a-bon/), a 5-yr NSF project, as well as a NASA ABoVE project using remote sensing to characterize disturbances in terrestrial and freshwater aquatic ecosystems. The position is funded for 2+ years, with additional funding and potential to continue into a Research Faculty position. Candidates need to have a PhD, substantial experience with GIS, geospatial analysis, coding (R or python), statistics, and strong interpersonal skills. The researcher will join our interdisciplinary research team (more below), collaborate with team members to detect recent beaver engineering disturbances across the Arctic, and to characterize them using fieldwork and remote sensing. The researcher will plan and contribute to fieldwork, participate in team discussions, develop and implement rigorous remote sensing and geospatial analyses, and author manuscripts with support from the research team. There is opportunity for the researcher to contribute to proposals and apply for grant funding. Fieldwork occurs in winter and summer (March & August) and involves a mixture of road-based and remote wilderness work in western and northern Alaska tundra. 

Because beaver engineering impacts nearly all aspects of lowland ecosystems, there is a breadth of research topics, from spatial distribution and water quality and permafrost thaw to ecosystems, fish and people, and includes a combination of field measurements and geospatial analysis. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Ideal start date: January 2023 to March 2023. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, and contacts for 2 references to Ken Tape (kdtape@alaska.edu).

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher

Location: Fairbanks, AK with options for remote work.

Salary & Benefits: $56,000-$66,000 based on skills and experience, with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance; retirement savings plan, paid time off, paid holidays, sick leave.

Term: 2+ years of funding, including opportunity to transfer into Research Assistant Professor position.

UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination. As a public, regional, comprehensive university. UAF is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive organization and strongly encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. UAF is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. 

Disturbance research at the University of Alaska

Our research group at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks focuses on the effects of climate change and novel disturbance regimes on Arctic ecosystems. Our core beaver research group is Ken Tape (https://sites.google.com/a/alaska.edu/kentape/), Ben Jones (https://ine.uaf.edu/werc/people/faculty/benjamin-jones/), Mike Loranty (https://www.colgate.edu/about/directory/mloranty) and Sebastian Zavoico (PhD student). We work closely with Caroline Brown and Helen Cold (Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game), who specialize in human dimensions of climate change. The NASA ABoVE project includes Ryan Pavlick (remote sensing scientist) and Clayton Elder (atmospheric chemist) at Jet Propulsion Lab, as well as Simon Zwieback (remote sensing professor) at UAF. Acclaimed Alaskan author Seth Kantner is also part of the project team. Our backgrounds are diverse and include climate change in the Arctic, permafrost science, hydrology, vegetation, wildlife, coastal erosion, people, and now beaver engineering. The outsized role of disturbance in permafrost landscapes has guided much of our past research, as has the expansion of vegetation and wildlife distribution in the Arctic. Beaver engineering is a profound new disturbance in the Arctic, both for permafrost and the physical environment, as well as for biota. We have several projects studying various aspects of beaver engineering: spatial distribution, permafrost, hydrology, fish, eDNA, carbon cycling, water quality, and subsistence harvest. Our group actively collaborates with numerous working groups and research networks studying the Arctic ecosystem, both nationally and internationally. 

Ph.D. program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

We are seeking a Ph.D. student to join our team in studying beaver engineering and its impact on the Arctic ecosystem. The student will be involved in establishing and conducting research as part of the Arctic Beaver Observation Network, a 5-year NSF project. Candidates need to have a MSc, substantial experience with geospatial analysis, and strong interpersonal skills. The student will join our interdisciplinary beaver research team (more below) and collaborate with team members to detect recent changes in surface water and beaver disturbances across the Arctic. The student will plan and contribute to fieldwork, participate in team discussions, and develop and implement rigorous remote sensing approaches with support from the research team. Fieldwork occurs twice a year in the late winter and late summer and involves a mixture of road-based and remote wilderness work in western and northern Alaska tundra. The student will develop a set of research questions during their first year. Because beaver engineering impacts nearly all aspects of lowland ecosystems, there is a breadth of possible topics for the dissertation, from water quality and permafrost thaw to ecosystems, fish and people, and could include a combination of field measurements and geospatial analysis. The student will fulfill coursework in the Earth System Science Ph.D. program, which has a variety of tracks to choose from, including Cryosphere, Ecosystems, Hydrology, and Geospatial Sciences. Tuition waiver and research assistantship are available for 3 years, after which the student is expected to work with us to obtain completion funding. Anticipated start date: April to September 2022. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, and contacts for 3 references to kdtape@alaska.edu.

Beaver research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Our research group at the Geophysical Institute focuses on the effects of climate change and novel disturbance regimes on arctic ecosystems. Our core beaver research group is Ken Tape (https://sites.google.com/a/alaska.edu/kentape/), Ben Jones (https://ine.uaf.edu/werc/people/faculty/benjamin-jones/), and Jason Clark. We work closely with Caroline Brown and Helen Cold (Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game), who specialize in human dimensions of climate change. Acclaimed Alaskan author Seth Kantner is also part of the project team. Our background is in studying climate change in the Arctic, including permafrost, hydrology, vegetation, wildlife, coastal erosion, people, and now beaver engineering. The outsized role of disturbance in permafrost landscapes has guided much of our past research, as has the expansion of vegetation and wildlife distribution in the Arctic. Beaver engineering is a profound new disturbance in the Arctic, both for permafrost and the physical environment, as well as for biota. We have several projects studying various aspects of beaver engineering: permafrost, hydrology, fish, eDNA, carbon cycling, water quality, and subsistence harvest. Our group actively collaborates with numerous working groups and research networks studying the arctic ecosystem, both nationally and internationally.