Postdoctoral Scholar

Special Information

• This position is an on-site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.
• This position is subject to the availability of funding. The incumbent is not eligible for Service Professional non-renewal notice, or Classified Staff layoff or recall status.
• Driving a vehicle on behalf of the university is anticipated to be a regular part of this position. Arizona Administrative Code Fleet Safety Policy requires all employees who drive on university business become authorized by submitting Driver’s license information for driving record monitoring, and completion of training appropriate to the level of driving performed. The law applies to all faculty, staff, and students who drive personal or university-owned motorized vehicles for any business purpose. More information on the NAU Authorized Driver Policy can be found on the NAU website.

About the Department/College

The Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) at Northern Arizona University serves diverse audiences with objective science and implementation strategies that support ecological restoration and climate adaptation on Western forest landscapes. The ERI is nationally recognized as a leader in primary and secondary ecological and social science, scholarship, information exchange, collaborative efforts, and policy analysis supporting forest restoration and fire use. The ERI is one of three congressionally designated institutes, the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI) located in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, focused on bridging science and management to restore western fire-adapted forests.

About the Position

The Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) at Northern Arizona University (NAU) seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar to examine emergent questions related to the human dimensions of forest restoration and wildfire management in the Southwest. The ERI serves diverse audiences with objective science and implementation strategies that support ecological restoration and climate adaptation on Western forest landscapes. The ERI is nationally recognized as a leader in primary and secondary ecological and social science, scholarship, information exchange, collaborative efforts, and policy analysis supporting forest restoration and fire use. The ERI is one of three congressionally-designated institutes, the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERI) located in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, focused on bridging science and management to restore western fire-adapted forests.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will work with ERI’s Human Dimension program to develop and lead a program of work that advances the ERI’s mission using social science methods. The Postdoctoral Scholar will implement applied science research, outreach, and coordination with partners for the ERI’s Human Dimensions and Partnerships program. Potential topics for the postdoctoral project include but are not limited to: better understanding public perceptions of forest management, including fire, in Arizona; linking wilderness policy and management decisions to ecological outcomes in northern Arizona; describing the challenges and opportunities of using formal agreements between the Forest Service and Tribes, counties, and states for forest restoration, management, and stewardship. The outcomes of this work will support the needs of ERI’s partners, agencies, Tribes, managers, and others engaged in forest restoration and wildfire management. The appointment is a full-time, mentored research position designed to develop the Postdoctoral Scholar as an independent scientist with expertise at the interface of forest restoration and social science.

Working closely with the ERI’s partners, the Postdoctoral Scholar will build upon partner research and information needs aligning with the ERI’s mission of fire management and forest restoration; collaboratively work with partners to develop research related to these needs; complete research using a variety of social and political science methods; synthesize and publish research results in a variety of accessible formats; and ensure that information is readily available and communicated to partners. These research, partnership, and communication activities serve the goal of accelerating the pace and scale of forest restoration to improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic fires.

Responsibilities Include

60% - Research

• Design, develop, implement, and guide research, analysis, and application of social science research related to forest restoration in the Southwest U.S.
• Utilize social scientific methods, including but not limited to, primary and secondary social science research methods (i.e. surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.), policy analysis, economic analysis, or other bodies of knowledge aligned with the ERI’s mission and this position’s focus on Human Dimensions.
• Topical areas include but are not limited to: perceptions of forest restoration and wildfire management, perceptions and impacts of wilderness management, or the use of formal partnership agreements in agency forest management.

15% - Collaboration and Partnerships

• Maintain productive relationships and partnerships with affected entities engaged with the ERI who shape the ERI’s program of work.
• Coordinate on Human Dimensions research with the other Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes (SWERIs).
• Assist ERI staff with collaboration and partnerships across all lands.

15% - Dissemination, Scholarly Output, and Communication

• Lead and collaborate in the development of publications (white papers, working papers, fact sheets, reports, etc.) as relevant to communicate scientific findings to affected entities and partners.
• Lead or collaborate in the development and publishing of peer-reviewed manuscripts as relevant to the research community and to advance scientific knowledge.
• Present research results at scientific meetings, workshops, and partner briefings.

5% - Mentoring and Collaboration

• Collaborate with faculty, research staff, and graduate students across forestry and related fields.
• Provide limited mentoring to students or staff engaged in related efforts.

5% - Other

• Attend coordination meetings among SWERI and ERI staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent doctorate in forestry, geography, natural resources, environmental studies, sociology, environmental policy, planning, or management, or closely related fields.
• Demonstrated experience with a variety of social science methods.
Understanding U.S. forest and wildfire policy, governance, and management.

• 
  
  

• A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading research initiatives related to social science related to forest restoration and wildfire, natural resources, environmental stewardship or management contexts with individuals from a diversity of backgrounds, experience, and knowledge. This includes the development of relationships, proposals, research questions, methods, analysis, and writing.
• Experience leading or contributing to complex projects involving multiple components and partners.
• Professional oral and written communication skills, including peer-reviewed scientific publications and gray literature.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Demonstrated knowledge of forest restoration, fire, and related topics from a human dimensions perspective.

Skills

• Primary and secondary research techniques such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, policy analyses, economic analyses, and/or systematic reviews.
• Programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, ArcMap, Qualtrics, Atlas.TI (or similar social science coding software), or SPSS (or similar statistical software).
• Technical writing and documentation for scientific and applied audiences.
• Project organization and coordination within collaborative research teams.

Abilities

• Ability to work independently while engaging productively with partners.
• Ability to understand and adapt communication for different audiences.
Strong problem-solving and analytical reasoning skills.

Compensation

Salary range begins at $58,882.00. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application

You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.