Opportunities
STEPS Diversity Coordinator
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center is now seeking highly qualified applicants for STEPS Diversity Coordinator. The STEPS Diversity Coordinator is responsible for providing informal and formal professional mentorship for STEPS undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars. The STEPS Diversity Coordinator provides additional support for the educational and integration goals and activities of STEPS, particularly as it relates to the training, retention, and graduation of students. The STEPS Diversity Coordinator will also develop and implement cross-cutting DEI programming to build and sustain an inclusive Center environment for all STEPS participants.
To learn more and apply, please visit the job posting.
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 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 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 a group of distinguished intramural and extramural collaborators working all aspects of phosphorus sustainability. The position is under the direction 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.
Masters Student Opportunity at NC State
Dr. Khara Grieger is looking for a passionate and motivated student (MS level) who is interested in exploring how best stakeholders and researchers engage with one another to co-create knowledge within sustainability contexts. The selected student will also be involved in developing training materials focused on stakeholder engagement within sustainability research contexts. The student will have the opportunity to pursue their degree while also being a part of an incredible, interdisciplinary Center that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging while also pursuing cutting edge research focused on phosphorus sustainability. The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS)-funded project will start in August 2023 (or Jan. 2024) and aims to develop best practices for engaging stakeholders within sustainability research. If selected, the student will receive a competitive salary ($30K/year) and have their tuition and health care covered by the project. Interested students are encouraged to contact Dr. Grieger at kdriege@ncsu.edu for more information. Applications are due May 31, 2023.
Learn more about this opportunity here: MS Student_Fall2023.docx
Undergraduate Positions
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. Applications due February 13, 2023
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.