Postdoctoral Associate

Zymtronix Catalytic Systems Inc; City of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 36,480 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornell University’s CALS Dillon Lab seeks a postdoctoral associate to integrate household socioeconomic data with production, herd dynamics, and methane emissions for smallholder dairy systems in India. The role centers on building and applying a dynamic simulation model to study farmer decision‑making, profitability, and system feedbacks.

You will collaborate with an international team, aim for high‑impact publications, and contribute to policy‑relevant outputs aligned with the project.

Qualifications

• PhD in Animal Science, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, Environmental Science, Global Development, or related field.
• Experience with collection and analysis of socioeconomic data (household surveys or similar).
• Proven scholarly productivity with peer‑reviewed publications.

Responsibilities

• Lead analysis and integration of milk production, methane emissions, and household socioeconomic data.
• Develop and evaluate a dynamic system dynamics model of smallholder dairy systems in India.
• Publish high-impact peer reviewed manuscripts and policy briefs.
• Collaborate with PI and partners on policy-relevant outputs.
• Mentor graduate/undergraduate students as needed.

Skills

Socioeconomic data analysis

Scholarly productivity

Team collaboration

Policy-relevant communication

Education

PhD in Animal Science / Agricultural Economics / Sociology / Environmental Science

Tools

System dynamics

Data visualization

Job description

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University’s second largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: We believe that achieving next-generation scientific breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world’s complex, interlocking systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation, and around the world.

Position Function

The Dillon Lab explores the role of animal-source foods in sustainable food systems. Our work elucidates how system structure mediates sustainability outcomes from management change and policy implementation. We collaborate with transdisciplinary teams to quantify synergies and tradeoffs between production, food security, environmental impacts, and the social and economic dimensions of food systems.

Enhancing production efficiency in livestock systems is a common strategy for reducing the environmental impacts of animal-source food production amid increasing consumption. However, in some contexts, efficiency enhancements result in rebound effects due to feedback between enhanced efficiency and food system economics. The successful candidate will collaborate in a multi-disciplinary, international team to assess the impacts of implementing efficiency-based methane mitigation strategies on smallholder dairy livelihoods and the potential for environmental rebound effect tradeoffs. They will work with a team of scientists and practitioners to model decision-mediated relationships among farmer livelihoods, milk production efficiency, and methane emissions in the dairy sector.

The postdoctoral associate will lead analysis and integration of household-level socioeconomic data with production, herd dynamics, and methane emissions datasets to develop and evaluate a dynamic simulation model of smallholder dairy systems in India. The model will be used to identify how farmer decision-making, profitability, and system feedbacks influence methane mitigation outcomes and environmental rebound effects. In addition to high impact peer-reviewed publications, the postdoctoral associate will work closely with the PI and project partners to develop policy-relevant outputs aligned with the project.

Candidates with expertise in socioeconomic data collection and analysis of smallholder households are strongly encouraged to apply. System dynamics modeling training will be provided for candidates without prior experience who demonstrate strong expertise in smallholder agricultural systems, particularly livestock systems.

Candidates are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Jasmine Dillon ([e-mail]) with any questions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the analysis and integration of milk production, consumption, methane emissions, and household socioeconomic datasets for smallholder dairy farmers.
• Develop and evaluate a smallholder dairy system dynamics model integrating socioeconomic, production, and environmental dimensions.
• Contribute to evaluation of tradeoffs between production efficiency, methane emissions and emissions intensities, and socioeconomic outcomes of methane mitigation efforts.
• Disseminate research results through peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, policy briefs, and presentations.
• Support project coordination and reporting.

Anticipated Division of Time

• Research – 80%
• Manuscript writing, reporting, grant writing – 15%
• Mentoring – 5%

Requirements

• Driving is not a requirement for this position.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Animal Science, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, Environmental Science, Global Development, or other fields with relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience with collection and/or analysis of socioeconomic data, including household survey data and/or other qualitative or quantitative research methods.
• Evidence of scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in socioeconomic dynamics of smallholder livestock systems.
• Familiarity with systems thinking, system dynamics, agent-based modeling, or other approaches for analyzing complex social-ecological systems.
• Experience conducting research in India, or more broadly in smallholder livestock systems, especially in the Global South.
• Experience with quantitative modeling of livestock systems including, but not limited to, integrated assessment, econometric, animal nutrition, or whole farm system models and life cycle assessment.

Supervision Exercised

• The postdoctoral associate may provide oversight of graduate and undergraduate students. There are no supervisory responsibilities with this position.

CALS hiring range for this title is $63,480 - $65,000.

$62,232.00 - $88,745.00

Pay Range

Pay Ranges:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline
• Unique applicable skills.

EEO Statement

Cornellwelcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeksjob candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Wehire based on merit, andencourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.