Opportunities
Postdoctoral Research Positions
Available postdoctoral positions will be posted here as they become available. If you are interested in opportunities in STEPS, please contact us.
Postdoctoral Opportunity at the University of Florida
Postdoctoral Associate – Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) & Biogeochemistry
The University of Florida (UF) Soil, Water, & Nutrient Management Laboratory is looking to hire a postdoctoral associate who will provide overall leadership and direction in the field of Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) & Biogeochemistry within the state of Florida.
Description: This is a two-year funded project which will explore nutrient use efficiency in agroecosystems. The applicant will be based out of the UF/IFAS Soil, Water, & Ecosystem Sciences Department, located at the Everglades Research & Education Center in Belle Glade, Florida. The primary responsibility of the applicant will be to develop abiotic and biotic modes of improving NUE (primarily phosphorus) in agriculture and environmental systems. The applicant will be working on existing NSF and USDA funded projects on related topics. Research project(s) will include but not limited to testing biofertilizer products for NUE, and developing technologies that can capture and reuse phosphorus from point and non-point sources. The applicant will be working with soil, water, and plant tissue samples routinely testing for nutrient concentrations. Use of specialized instrumentations such as XAS and NMR for elemental characterization will be essential. The applicant will be working with a team of researchers from the Soil, Water, & Nutrient Management (SWNM) Laboratory. Other key responsibilities include team coordination and methods development in aid of team activities. The development and maintenance of effective working relationships with students and other postdocs, partners in industry and agencies, and the public will ensure success in this position. The SWNM lab is committed to supporting work-life balance and creating an environment that promotes and supports a welcoming student, staff, faculty, and overall workforce within the University. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their research, teaching, Cooperative Extension, mentoring, and professional service. The applicant will be expected to drive to field locations and have a valid driver’s license and conduct independent field work in hot humid conditions.
Expectation: The candidate will also be expected to mentor graduate and undergraduate students and expected to present her/his research at national and state meetings. Prior experience in the field nutrient use efficiency and soil fertility will be beneficial.
To apply go to: https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/528886
For more information contact: Dr. Jehangir Bhadha, jango@ufl.edu
Deadline: November 14, 2023
Learn more about this opportunity here: Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) & Biogeochemistry PDF
Postdoctoral Opportunity at NC State
Dr. Owen Duckworth in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences seeking an exceptional postdoctoral associate to conduct NSF-funded independent research in the areas of geospatial modeling, nutrient biogeochemistry, and environmental/agricultural data analysis. The project will involve the collection and curation of soil phosphorus data, developing models to predict soil P at high resolution across the US, and interfacing the models with other national P models to develop inventories to develop comprehensive P budgets. Opportunities exist to interact closely with distinguished intramural and extramural collaborators working on all aspects of phosphorus sustainability. The position is under the direction and supervision of Dr. Owen Duckworth in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences but will collaborate closely with Drs. Natalie Nelson and Dan Obenour from the Departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. It is funded through the newly established NSF Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center. Applicants should apply and be available to start as soon as possible. The position is supported through October 2024, with the possibility of renewal with satisfactory performance. A Ph.D. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Soil Science, Hydrologic Science, Data Science, or a related discipline is required.
Learn more about this opportunity here: ModelingLegacyPpostdoc2023
Graduate Research Positions
Available graduate positions will be posted here as they become available. If you are interested in student opportunities in STEPS, please contact us.
Graduate Opportunity at NC State
Dr. Dan Obenour in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering is seeking a graduate student to fill an open research assistant position in the Environmental Modeling and Forecasting lab group at NC State University in Raleigh. The position will focus on modeling of nutrient flows and downstream water quality impacts. This position is associated with STEPS (https://steps-center.org/), a convergence research center focused on phosphorus sustainability. Through STEPS, the selected student will have opportunities to interact closely with researchers in other fields, provide stakeholder outreach, and support junior students, including those from under-represented groups.
Primary responsibilities will include computational modeling and the development of scholarly manuscripts and presentations. The student will be based at either the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering or the Center for Geospatial Analytics, depending on the student’s background and interests. Preference will be given to motivated candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas: water quality dynamics, geospatial analysis, coding, statistical modeling, and/or machine learning.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Obenour (drobenour@ncsu.edu), providing a resume/CV and brief summary of research interests and qualifications. Outstanding candidates will be encouraged to submit a full application (https://grad.ncsu.edu/programs/how-to-apply/). Members of under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply. The position is available in January 2024, though later start dates (e.g., August 2024) will be considered. The selected applicant will receive a competitive stipend, full tuition, and benefits.
Learn more about this opportunity here: Nutrient and Water Resources Modeling Graduate Opportunity
Undergraduate Positions
Available undergraduate positions will be posted here as they become available. If you are interested in student opportunities in STEPS, please contact us.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
STEPS REU and Research Experience for Future Farmers (REF)
STEPS will support 15 students for ten weeks during Summer 2023 through a multi-institutional REU/REF program. Students will work on independent research projects within the Center under the mentorship of STEPS Scholars and faculty. Students will be placed on projects that align with their research and career interests at one of the eight STEPS academic institutions.
Learn more here.
STEPS Center Director’s Fellowship Awards
The STEPS Center Director’s Fellowship Awards provide prestigious bridge support for stipends, fringe benefits, and tuition (if relevant) for the engagement of high performing graduate students (Masters and Ph.D.) and postdoctoral scholars.
The awards provide interim support of a maximum of 1 year for scholars during their appointment at a STEPS institution who are either beginning research prior to joining an existing STEPS Project (e.g., new recruits) or are building upon existing projects in ways that promote new convergence/integration across STEPS (e.g., new meta-level research projects, creating final products from projects that are ending). When used as a recruitment tool, the Director’s Fellowship Award can provide time for students to establish core competencies in relevant fields, experiment with cross-disciplinary training, and/or work with multiple mentors/PIs in new research areas before committing to a specific project, PI(s), or program. Research projects that include aspects of diversity scholarship, stakeholder engagement, and participatory research are particularly encouraged, even if a component of a broader research scope.
Learn more here. If you are interested in fellowship opportunities with STEPS, please contact us.