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Postdoctoral Research Associate

Employer
Department of Resource Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Location
Amherst, Massachusetts
Closing date
Feb 9, 2022

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About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.  The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers.  In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

We invite applications for a postdoctoral research associate to work with Drs. Tihitina Andarge and David Keiser in the Department of Resource Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, starting Fall 2022. The successful candidate will contribute to efforts to measure the social costs of water pollution using integrated assessment modeling. As part of these efforts, the candidate will work closely with other collaborators on USDA and NSF funded research projects to merge economic models of water quality with the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Funding is available for 3 years (each year conditional on satisfactory performance in the previous year).

Minimum Qualifications:

  • PhD in any field with strong empirical training and advanced programming skills. For example, advanced programming knowledge of R, Python, SQL, Julia, C++, or similar software. 
  • Have been academically active for no longer than 3 years post-PhD.
  • Significant experience working with geospatial data and managing large datasets (i.e., relational database design and management).
  • Basic knowledge of hydrological processes.
  • Must undergo training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) within 30 days of the appointment start date.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience working in interdisciplinary teams.
  • Knowledge or interest in non-market valuation and economics.
  • Knowledge of data visualization software. 
  • Knowledge or interest in integrated assessment modeling.
  • Knowledge or interest in SWAT (understanding the inputs and outputs of the model).
  • Strong academic writing skills.

Essential Functions 

  • Contribute to efforts to develop a national integrated assessment model (IAM) to measure the social costs of water pollution.
  • Present research to internal and external academic audiences.
  • Help plan and organize an annual workshop on the social costs of water pollution.
  • Some annual travel to work with researchers at USDA-ARS will be required. 
  • Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness. 

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday; 8 hours/day; 40 hours/week

Application Instructions

Candidates should submit a cover letter describing their interests and skills as they relate to the position description, a CV, a research paper (working or published), and the names and contact information of three references.

For full consideration, applications are due January 31, 2022 and review will continue until the position is filled.  The start date is September 1, 2022.  Questions can be addressed to Tihitina Andarge at tandarge@umass.edu and David Keiser at dkeiser@umass.edu.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

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