Postdoctoral Research Associate - Farming Systems Trial

Job Description

Job Description

Rodale Institute invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Farming Systems Trial (FST) research program. The successful candidate will work at the interface of soil process modeling, carbon cycling, and regenerative organic farming systems, contributing to projects that quantify soil health improvements and carbon–nitrogen dynamics under contrasting management systems. This position offers an exciting opportunity to integrate field measurements, long-term datasets, and process-based models (DayCent, DNDC, or similar) to evaluate management-driven changes in soil carbon storage, nitrogen cycling, and greenhouse gas emissions. This is a 1-year position contingent upon satisfactory performance and funding availability.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conduct and coordinate research on soil health indicators, carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and management impacts in long-term field trials
• Calibrate and validate process-based biogeochemical models (e.g., DayCent, DNDC) using multi-year experimental datasets
• Perform statistical and multivariate analyses of soil, plant, and environmental data using R
• Integrate field measurements, laboratory data, and simulation outputs to improve understanding of soil carbon sequestration, GHG emissions, and nutrient turnover
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of soil scientists, agronomists, and data scientists to publish findings in high impact peer-reviewed journal
• Contribute to field work, proposal development, outreach, and data visualization for soil health and climate-smart agriculture initiatives
• Work closely with the Research Technician and Farm Operations team for timely data collection and field management

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Soil Science, Environmental Science, Agronomy, Biogeochemistry, or a related fieldDemonstrated expertise in soil carbon/nitrogen cycling, soil health assessment, or agricultural management systems
• Experience with process-based models such as DayCent, DNDC, or related ecosystem models
• Proficiency in R (data analysis, statistics, visualization, and model-data integration
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills; ability to manage and interpret large dataset
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a track record of scientific publication
• A growth mindset, someone who is enthusiastic to learn new approaches, unafraid of challenges and innovation
• Willingness to work in a field setting to collect and coordinate data collection

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with scripting for data preprocessing, model validation, and geospatial analysis or Digital Soil Mapping (DSM)
• Experience with Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) of agricultural production system or Economics of Soil Health Management
• Familiarity with soil health and microbial data, GHG measurement, or regenerative soil health management
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary research teams

How to Apply:

• Please submit a single PDF containing:
  • Cover letter describing research interests and relevant experience
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Contact information for three professional references.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, sexual identity or handicap.

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