Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - UTK

Animals routinely make decisions that affect their fitness, yet they do not always choose the optimal option. This NSF-funded project examines choice overload , a phenomenon in which decision-makers become overwhelmed by the number or complexity of available options, resulting in suboptimal decisions, delayed decisions, or failure to choose at all. The project will investigate three proposed drivers of choice overload: decision task difficulty, assortment complexity, and preference uncertainty. Using bumblebees as an experimental system, the postdoctoral researcher will conduct behavioral experiments that test how nectar rewards and other biologically relevant floral traits influence foraging decisions and decision quality.

The successful candidate will work closely with Dr. Claire Hemingway and project collaborators while contributing to experimental design, data collection, quantitative analyses, and dissemination of findings. This work is expected to advance understanding of animal decision making, behavioral ecology, cognition, and pollinator biology.

The anticipated start date is 11/1/2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. Funding is available for 2.5 years , contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued availability of funding. The initial appointment will be for one year and will serve as a probationary period, with continuation subject to successful performance review.

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