Postdoc in disease ecology opening 2023

Postdoctoral scholar position in the Swei Lab now open! 

Postdoctoral scholar in disease and vector ecology: 

The Swei lab of vector and microbial disease ecology at San Francisco State University is recruiting a postdoctoral scholar to work on an NSF funded project (DEB-175037) to study the disease and transmission ecology of tick-borne disease in a fragmented landscape. The postdoc will be based at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA. The Swei lab is committed to supporting the career development of the postdoc scholar and will provide opportunities for the successful candidate to: present their research at local and international meetings, mentor undergraduate and graduate students, receive professional development training, and and receive pedagogical training and teaching experience, if they wish.

The funded project focuses on the impact of habitat fragmentation on host community structure and ultimately on the transmission and risk of a variety of tick-borne zoonotic diseases including Lyme disease, as well as other emerging diseases. The postdoc will work with a long-term empirical dataset from habitat fragments in the San Francisco Bay Area and includes population and disease data from ticks (Ixodes pacificus) and vertebrate host communities. In addition to population and community ecology, the study also explores the relationship between host community diversity and pathogen genotypic diversity and will address the evolutionary mechanisms that maintains pathogen genotypic diversity. The candidate can also develop novel analyses and projects related to the overall project or other ongoing projects in the lab.

The ideal candidate will have a background in disease ecology with experience in quantitative data analysis. Also sought is either experience with or willingness to learn the methods related to the application of mathematical modeling to empirical datasets to describe and project disease dynamics.

The position will be for one year with a base salary determined by the SFSU postdoc salary pay scale and will be based on experience. Start date is flexible between summer and fall 2023.

Qualifications: PhD in ecology, environmental science, or biostatistics or related field. Strong quantitative and analytical skills and experience working with statistical and/or mathematical models. Candidates should have strong oral and written communication skills and should ideally have a track record of peer reviewed scientific publications. Candidates should be able to work independently and as part of team.

Interested candidates should contact Andrea Swei at aswei<at>sfsu.edu if they have further questions. Applications should be sent to Andrea Swei with "Postdoc position" in the subject line and include a cover letter expressing background, experience, and reasons for being interested in the project as well as a CV, sample publications (1-3 is sufficient), and contact information for three references. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2023.