Postdoctoral Research Associate

Texas A&M University; College Station (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas A&M AgriLife's Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to lead analyses of soil health data across grazing lands in multiple states. The role emphasizes data interpretation, manuscript development, and dissemination to scientific and producer audiences.

The successful candidate will work with soil physical, chemical, and biological datasets and contribute to outreach and collaboration with ranching stakeholders.

Qualifications

• PhD in rangeland management, soil science, natural resource management, environmental science, ecology, or a related field.
• Proven ability to conduct independent research with peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience analyzing and interpreting complex environmental datasets.

Responsibilities

• Analyze and interpret soil physical, chemical, and biological data.
• Evaluate near-infrared spectroscopy for estimating soil health characteristics.
• Assess the influence of grazing management on soil health indicators.
• Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations.
• Communicate research findings to stakeholders and producers.

Skills

Independent research

Communication skills

Quantitative skills

Data analysis

Education

PhD in relevant field

Tools

Near-infrared spectroscopy

Data analysis software

Job description

**Job Title**Postdoctoral Research Associate**Agency**Texas A&M Agrilife Research**Department**Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management**Proposed Minimum Salary**Commensurate**Job Location**College Station, Texas**Job Type**Staff**Job Description****About Texas A&M AgriLife**Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:* Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service* Texas A&M AgriLife Research* College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University* Texas A&M Forest Service* Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic LaboratoryAs the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.Click **here** to learn more about how ***you*** can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!**Position Information**The Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management (CGRM) is seeking a Post-Doctoral Researcher to support applied research projects focused on grazing management and soil health. This position will lead the analysis and interpretation of soil data already collected across multiple projects spanning working rangelands in Texas, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Arizona. These datasets represent a range of ecological contexts and management systems and provide an opportunity to evaluate soil health responses across various grazingland environments.The successful candidate will work with soil physical, chemical, and biological datasets derived from both laboratory analyses and near-infrared spectroscopy. In addition to leading data analysis, this individual will contribute to interpretation, manuscript development, publication, and communication of findings to scientific and producer audiences.Texas A&M University’s Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management aims to strengthen the ecological and economic resiliency of grazinglands and ranching operations through producer-directed, applied research, outreach, and industry engagement. CGRM develops interdisciplinary collaborations to address critical needs in the ranching community and works to enhance operational resiliency, strengthen enterprise sustainability, and support the future of the grazinglands industry.The Postdoctoral Research Associate is responsible for conducting and communicating research on soil health and grazing management, including data analysis, evaluation of soil health indicators, and dissemination of findings through publications, presentations, and stakeholder engagement.**Responsibilities:*** Analyze and interpret soil physical, chemical, and biological data.* Evaluate the effectiveness of near-infrared spectroscopy for estimating key soil health characteristics.* Assess the influence of grazing management on soil health indicators.* Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations based on project findings.* Communicate research findings to stakeholders, and livestock producer audiences.* Contribute to the development of future research questions, analyses, and project outputs related to grazing management and soil health.* Performs other duties as assigned.**Required Qualifications:*** PhD in rangeland management, soil science, natural resource management, environmental science, ecology, or a related field* Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications* Experience analyzing and interpreting complex environmental, agricultural, or ecological datasets* Ability and willingness to engage with applied research questions and interact professionally with livestock producers and other stakeholders* Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.* Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate research findings to both scientific and producer audiences* Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, and manage projects with limited supervision* Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills* Ability to organize, manage, and interpret complex datasets with attention to detail* Ability to connect research findings to real-world management questions and working lands decision-making* Ability to lead data analysis, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of research findings**Other Requirements:*** This position is funded through grants or contracts. Continued employment is dependent upon ongoing funding and satisfactory job performance.**What You Need to Know****Salary:** Compensation is commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications.**Position Funding:** This position is funded through grants or contracts. Continued employment is dependent upon ongoing funding and satisfactory job performance.**Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?**When you choose to ***work*** for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:* Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums* 12-15 days of annual paid holidays* Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month* Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas* Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife**Applicant Instructions**Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.**Required Documents**Please attach Cover Letter, CV/Resume, Transcript, References & other documents. Any questions, please contact Dr. Jeff Goodwin @ [e-mail] positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.