Research Scientist 3

The University of New Mexico; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 75,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, seeks a Research Scientist 3 to manage 6-9 long-running eddy flux towers and coordinate field operations. The role includes data management, QA, and guiding a summer field crew within diverse Southwestern ecosystems.

Candidates should have electronics and programming background, plus ability to work in rugged outdoor conditions and travel to field sites. Position initially 12 months, renewable for 2+ years.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; at least 3 years directly related experience.
• Substitutions allowed for higher education on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operation and maintenance of eddy flux towers.
• Manage data quality assurance, and contribute to publications.
• Lead a summer field crew and work in remote rugged terrain.

Skills

Fieldwork experience

Electronics background

Programming (Matlab or R)

Datalogger programming

Ecophysiology instrumentation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Campbell datalogger programming

LiCor 7500/7200 instrumentation

Eddy covariance instrumentation

Job description

Research Scientist 3

The Department of Biology is seeking a highly qualified technician to be hired as Field Research Scientist III. The candidate will be responsible for the day‑to‑day operation of 6-9 long running (since 2007) eddy flux towers in Central New Mexico that are being used to increase our understanding of how ecosystem structure and function vary across elevation gradients in the Southwestern US. The towers are distributed across six common ecosystems in the Southwestern U.S.: desert grassland and shrubland, juniper savanna, pinon‑juniper woodland and high elevation ponderosa pine and subalpine coniferous forests.

The candidate will maintain the instrumentation and infrastructure of these tower flux systems and work with an interdisciplinary group of faculty, postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate researchers to make additional physiological and ecological field measurements associated with this project. The candidate will participate in data management, data quality assurance, and the preparation of peer‑reviewed publications of research findings. In addition, this position will involve leading and guiding a field crew in the summer. Candidates with strong hands‑on technical and problem‑solving skills, a background in electronics and programming, experience hiking and operating in rugged outdoor conditions, and backgrounds related to ecosystem ecology, hydrology or micrometeorology are encouraged to apply. This position will be based in Albuquerque at UNM Biology and will require frequent day travel to field sites and occasional overnight trips. The position is initially available for 12 months and renewable on a year‑to‑year basis for two or more additional years.

Work requires periods of heavy physical effort, handling heavy objects, general construction skills, and/or extended periods of standing or walking for large portions of the work day. Field work may involve prolonged exposure including high temperatures, dusty conditions, high light, low humidity, high winds. Outdoor work may also include chance encounters with poisonous snakes or spiders however these organisms will not be handled in any way. Laboratory work may include exposure to hazards or physical risks that require following basic safety procedures. The duty station for this position is UNM Biology. Often requires working long hours in the field outside of normal business hours (dawn‑dusk measurement campaigns, etc.). Some measurements may require several day periods in the field. Requires climbing towers ranging in height from 10-130 ft.

Responsibilities

Day‑to‑day operation and maintenance of eddy flux towers, data management, quality assurance, publication preparation, leading a summer field crew, and working in remote and rugged terrain.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience operating safely in remote and rugged terrain.
• Wilderness first aid training is preferred.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of electronics and electricity; a background in engineering is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience with computer programming. Matlab or R programming languages are preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work at heights in a safe manner.
• Demonstrated experience with basic construction tools such as hand saw, table saw, cordless drills, etc.
• Previous experience with instruments common to eddy covariance towers and related systems is preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Campbell datalogger programming and data retrieval, interface with multiplexers and sensors.
• Demonstrated proficiency with eddy covariance instrumentation, and ecophysiological field instrumentation. In particular, candidate has worked with LiCor 7500 and/or 7200 photosynthesis infra-red gas analyzers, basic micrometeorology sensors, soil water content, temperature and carbon dioxide probes.
• Demonstrated experience managing, summarizing, and archiving field and laboratory data.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and experience with student supervision in a field setting to complete ecological protocols, data entry, and quality control.

Conditions of Employment

• Successful candidate must submit to a post‑offer, pre‑employment physical examination and medical history check. Additional health screenings may be required, dependent on the nature of the research conducted, as determined by Employee Occupational Health Services.

Location

Main - Albuquerque, NM

Benefits

This is a benefits eligible position. The University of New Mexico provides a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. In addition, UNM offers educational benefits through the tuition remission and dependent education programs. See the Benefits home page for more information.

Background Checks

Background check required: Yes

EEO Statement

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

Veteran Preference Program

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

Application Instructions

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a third‑party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application. Please submit a resume, references, and cover letter with UNMJobs application.