Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Department

Research (Primary Role)

• Develop and implement a spatially explicit methodology for characterizing and prioritizing private working lands based on flood mitigation potential and land‑conversion risk.
• Support creation of a Texas Coastal Prairie value–risk prioritization map to guide conservation investments.
• Design, administer, and analyze a landowner survey grounded in Protection Motivation Theory and participatory GIS (PPGIS) to assess landowner perceptions, values, and willingness to engage in conservation programs.
• Key role in helping ensure the effective translation of prioritization maps into on-the-ground stewardship, restoration, and conservation outcomes.

Extension & Outreach (Secondary Role)

• Support facilitation of community workshops with landowners, conservation partners, and local decision‑makers to co‑produce knowledge and identify conservation pathways.
• Contribute to the development of a decision‑support toolkit, including interactive maps, a dichotomous key for land evaluation, success‑story dashboards, and decision‑pathway tools for conservation opportunities.
• Assist in delivering train‑the‑trainer workshops for conservation leaders using toolkit resources and project findings.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in natural resources, geography, ecology, environmental science, agricultural economics, or a closely related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with survey design methodologies and software.
• Strong quantitative and mixed‑methods skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent communication skills and public engagement experience.
• Experience with ecosystem services modeling or flood‑risk assessment.
• Familiarity with rural or private landowner engagement, survey design, or community‑based research.
• Knowledge of conservation easements, open‑space valuation, or land‑stewardship programs relevant to Texas working lands.
• Experience collaborating with multi‑stakeholder teams (e.g., land trusts, Extension, state agencies).

Position Funding: This position is grant funded and availability is contingent on grant funding.

All 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.