Post Doctoral Research Associate - Conservation Scientist

University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst (MA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Conservation Science to lead work on chronic wasting disease (CWD) responses, combining human dimensions with quantitative wildlife disease research at CNS and USGS collaboration. The role includes survey analysis, tabletop exercise design, and co-authoring peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Based in Amherst, MA, this in-person position emphasizes teamwork with state and federal partners and opportunities to expand modelling

Qualifications

• PhD in human dimensions of natural resources, conservation social science, ecology, conservation, epidemiology, wildlife science, or related field.
• Experience with quantitative analysis in R.
• Evidence of scientific writing (pubs or reports).
• Strong written and oral communication and ability to work with agency partners.

Responsibilities

• Analyse existing statewide CWD stakeholder surveys to quantify knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.
• Help design and co-facilitate an in-person, multi-agency tabletop exercise (1.5 day).
• Translate tabletop results into a revised reactive-response plan and decision tree; contribute to a management protocol.

Skills

Quantitative analysis (R)

Scientific writing

Communication skills

Collaborative work with agencies

Education

PhD in natural resources/conservation

Job description

Title: Post Doctoral Research Associate - Conservation Scientist

Executive Area: Academic Affairs

College/School/MBU: College of Natural Sciences

Department: Environmental Conservation

Work Location: Amherst

Schedule: Full Time

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Job Summary

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, transmissible prion disease of deer, elk, and moose that continues to expand across North America. Massachusetts has not yet detected CWD, and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife) recently led the Commonwealth in taking proactive regulations (i.e., sunsetting captive cervid facilities, expanding carcass-importation restrictions, banning deer-based scent lures, and expanding surveillance), which were developed through a structured decision‑making process. However, Massachusetts would benefit further from a rehearsed, multi‑agency reactive response procedure for the moment a positive is detected, as well as a clearer understanding of the behaviours, knowledge, and attitudes of the people (e.g., hunters, cervid farmers, MassWildlife staff) whose decisions shape that risk. We are seeking applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst to lead this work. The position blends human dimensions and quantitative wildlife disease research: analysing existing statewide stakeholder surveys to understand knowledge, attitudes, and regulation‑relevant behaviours; helping design and facilitate an interagency tabletop exercise that stress‑tests the state’s reactive response; and co‑designing the communication materials and decision tools that come out of it. Depending on the candidate’s interests and skills, there are also opportunities to contribute to other quantitative work on wildlife disease arrival and spread (e.g., evaluating which management actions perform best under alternative modes of arrival). We are looking for someone who is interested in working at the interface between research and management. We highly encourage people from historically underrepresented groups or non‑traditional backgrounds to apply. The successful candidate will be part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and will work with a team that includes federal scientists, state agency biologists and outreach staff, and a second postdoctoral researcher at a partner university working on complementary modelling. This work is a collaboration among the MA Coop Unit, the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center, MassWildlife, and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vermont who is working on complementary modelling of CWD dynamics in the Northeast.

Essential Functions

Analyse three existing statewide CWD stakeholder surveys to quantify knowledge, attitudes, and regulation‑relevant behaviours across audiences, and to identify the hunter subpopulations at highest risk of importing CWD into Massachusetts.

Help design and co‑facilitate an in‑person, multi‑agency tabletop exercise (1.5 day workshop) that simulates CWD detection scenarios and tests the state’s reactive response.

Translate the results of the tabletop exercise into a revised reactive‑response section of the state CWD response plan and a positive‑detection decision tree that links preventative, surveillance, and reactive actions; ideally, this would also result in a management protocol for other state wildlife agencies on how to structure these tabletop exercises.

Co‑design pre‑positioned communication materials with the state agency’s outreach and education staff, using the communication channel and trust data from the existing surveys.

The postdoctoral researcher is also expected to lead and co‑author peer‑reviewed manuscripts, write research reports, and prepare code and data for release.

The postdoctoral researcher will work with a large team of professionals on each of these objectives and will gain a significant professional network across the Northeast.

Other Functions

• Depending on the candidate’s interest, time, and skills, the postdoctoral researcher may also work on:
• Updating and extending the existing decision models to identify effective management actions under alternative modes of CWD arrival;
• Contributing to quantitative modelling of CWD spread and time‑to‑arrival in the Northeast, in collaboration with the postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vermont;
• Developing and analysing a One Health survey for state agencies related to communication, jurisdiction, and workflows; and/or
• Developing materials and templates that other CWD‑negative states in the region can adapt.
• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in human dimensions of natural resources, conservation social science, ecology, conservation, epidemiology, wildlife science, or other related field.
• Experience with quantitative analysis in R.
• Evidence of scientific writing, such as published or submitted peer‑reviewed manuscripts or technical reports.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, and an ability to work collaboratively with agency partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Designing or analysing surveys of human knowledge, attitudes, or behaviour, including weighted survey analysis or ordinal regression.
• Facilitating workshops, structured decision‑making processes, or tabletop exercises.
• Wildlife disease, wildlife health, or wildlife management.
• Quantitative modelling, such as Bayesian methods, decision analysis, or spatial and epidemiological modelling.
• Working with or within state or federal natural resource agencies.
• Reproducible workflows and version control (Git).

Additional Details

This is an in‑person position. We highly encourage people from historically underrepresented groups or non‑traditional backgrounds to apply. The postdoctoral researcher will be stationed at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst, MA, and fully remote arrangements are not available. UMass is a top‑ranked public university located in western MA. The area offers a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centres, with many great outdoor recreational opportunities. Some travel within Massachusetts and the Northeast is expected.

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. These values and goals are reflected in the College of Natural Sciences’ Inclusive Excellence framework and in the UMass Amherst’s 2024–2034 Strategic Plan: “For the Common Good.”

This position is subject to final budgetary and administrative approval.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a standard office or indoor university environment and involves minimal physical exertion.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm.

Salary Information

Salary minimum is determined by collective bargaining agreement based on years of experience. Salary may exceed the floor and will be determined by the PI (final salary will be stated in offer letter).

• 0-2 years $62,838
• 3-4 years $66,287
• 5+ years $71,033