Working with IonE’s Environmental Decision Support Science team led by PI Kenney and a team of postdocs and research staff, along with NOAA and partners across the U.S. you will be part of multiple projects that are proposed that aim to improve the use of scientific information in a range of nationally important decisions related to floods, droughts, environmental changes, and other extreme events. This research will engage with decision support users, refine diagnostic tools, and conduct research on visualizations and user-controlled decision support systems to increase the ability of individuals and communities to use these knowledge products for early warning and longer-term adaptation. The team includes diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds; knowledge of qualitative and/or quantitative social science methods required.  Minnesota residence during postdoc strongly preferred.

PI: Melissa Kenney

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Project Overview video with Melissa Part 1

Project Overview video with Melissa Part 2

Working with PI Schmitt, you will conduct translational science and enable collaborative projects to address the challenge of sustainable and just food systems transitions amidst the need to feed the next billion people just. This position will be part of the soon to be launched IonE Sustainable Food Systems Forum, a platform for collaboration within the University around the intersection of sustainability science, food science and nutrition, public policy, and consumer behavior as well as collaboration outside academia with the governmental, business, and public sectors. Initial work will focus on clarifying the state of the science, identifying knowledge gaps, highlighting UMN areas of strength and growth, and mapping stakeholders. You will also scope 2-3 possible research projects with PI Schmitt and the Forum UMN Executive Committee and conduct the research described in the scoping exercise. You will also participate in the planning of the first Forum convening, helping to set the agenda and engaging with members of the organizing committee. Diverse disciplinary background welcome; experience or interest in science communication, project coordination, and/or catalyzing or leading teams is particularly desirable.

PI: Jennifer Schmitt

Watch Now: Project Overview video with Jennifer

Working with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center and the US Geological Survey, collaborate on projects focused on climate change in ecosystems, the design of strategies to reduce those impacts, and synthesis research on adaptation that spans the Midwest region. Requires collaboration with natural resource practitioners or managers and interaction with USGS researchers (in residence at the IonE). Minnesota residence is required.

PI: Jessica Hellmann

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This project centers partnership development to co-produce data products and indicators to support climate adaptation actions and understanding the sufficiency of adaptation, mitigation, and resilience synthesis. Knowledge of research synthesis methods, qualitative and/or quantitative social science methods, and collaboration with regional partners and environmental justice communities is required.  Because of the significant local community engagement required by this position, Minnesota residence is required.

PI: Melissa Kenney

Watch Now: Project Overview video with Melissa 

You will conduct translational science and enable collaborative projects between university researchers and external organizations via the Midwest Carbon Leadership Project (MW CLP). The MW CLP is a platform for collaboration between industry and academia to address critical knowledge barriers related to deep decarbonization. It includes a recurring conference (next one: Feb 2025) and on-going working groups that are supported by the postdoctoral researcher. Diverse disciplinary background welcome; experience or interest in the use of diverse social science methodologies, science communication, and project coordination is particularly desirable. Specific research topic TBD and determined in consultation with MW CLP participants / working group members.

PIs: Jessica Hellmann & Melissa Kenney

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You will conduct synthesis and translational science to reduce carbon reduction as part of IonE’s energy transition research portfolio conducted with community organizations. Topical expertise in relevant energy topics is required. Diverse disciplinary background welcome; experience or interest in social science, policy analysis, and/or clean energy futures is particularly desirable.

PIs: Jessica Hellmann & Melissa Kenney

Watch Now: Project Overview with Jessica & Melissa 

Higher resolution satellite data has become more freely available. You will add to efforts currently underway around the world in crop type mapping using satellite remote sensing techniques in our team to complement those efforts. Numerous approaches can be used and we will collaborate with research teams who have already made significant progress. The goal of this project is to increase high-resolution global crop type map completeness, with specific location and crop-specific studies, while leveraging existing products such as CDL of USDA wherever possible. Therefore demonstrable past experience in using remote sensing data in mapping crop types is essential for success. Interest or past work in global agriculture and food security is a plus. Part of the research time can also be devoted to analyzing world food security related questions depending on interests and expertise such as analyzing fertilizer use efficiency, geodesigning alternate landscapes.

PI: Deepak Ray

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You will use data science and systems modeling methods to explore the effectiveness of different carbon reduction pathways as part of IonE’s energy transition research portfolio conducted with community organizations. Topical expertise in relevant energy topics is required. Diverse disciplinary background welcome; experience or interest in systems modeling research on renewable energy pathways is particularly desirable.

PI: Jessica Hellmann, Nat Springer & Melissa Kenney

Watch Now: Project Overview with Jessica & Melissa

Working with our Food System Supply-chain Sustainability (FoodS3) team of research scientists and postdocs, along with project partners (companies, industry groups, and NGOs) you would help us build out the environmental impact, social impact, and/or cost aspects of our FoodS3 model. This may include developing one or more of the following: a biodiversity FoodS3 model component, cost analyses of GHG mitigation scenarios, methods to assess model uncertainty, tools for interactive visualization, and/or alignment with other leading agricultural assessment tools and models. Some combination of knowledge and experience in systems analysis, environmental impact assessment, data science skills (Python/R, optimization modeling), material flow analysis, and/or agricultural footprinting required. Other computer science, software engineering, biophysical modeling, or supply chain management skills are a plus.

PI: Jennifer Schmitt & Nat Springer

Watch Now: Project Overview video with Jennifer & Nat

The project will investigate which biophysical variables derived from remote sensing products improve predictions of crop yields in food insecure regions of the world and whether these regions are strongly affected by climate teleconnections. You will develop statistical models to link crop yields to weather variability. The relative strengths and weaknesses of remote sensing products will be evaluated in this context. Experience using remote sensing products - such as land surface temperature datasets - and expertise in statistical or process-based crop modeling is required. Part of the research time can be devoted to analyzing additional world food security related questions depending on interests and expertise such as analyzing fertilizer use efficiency, geodesigning alternate landscapes.

PI: Deepak Ray

Watch Now: Projects Overview video with Deepak

The ideal candidate will be an integral researcher on multiple NIH funded projects related to environment and health under PI Berman. The first project will use electronic health records data to estimate the health impacts of extreme weather and climate events on vulnerable populations in Minnesota across a 10 year time period. The second project will use medical records from the Veterans Health Administration to evaluate impacts of acute air pollution exposure on a 14 million person longitudinal cohort with existing respiratory disease. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, clinicians, and healthcare providers at UMN and other institutions. Due to the quantitative nature of this postdoc, strong skills in statistical methodology and coding with big data (R Statistical software) is required. Training in areas of environmental health, epidemiology, biostatistics, or related areas, exposure assessment or spatial analysis is particularly desirable.

PIs: Jesse Berman, Mark Fiecas, & Jessica Hellmann

Watch Now: Project Overview video with Jesse