Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Primary Location:

BARUCH COLLEGE

Bargaining Unit:

No

The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs is New York City’s premier public graduate school dedicated to public affairs and administration, drawing upon one of the nation’s most accomplished and active faculty bodies, and applying an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, research, and professional development. Marxe’s mission is to educate and empower leaders, advance knowledge about societies and policies, and engage diverse communities across New York City and the world to develop inclusive, adaptable, and effective institutions.

The CUNY Institute for Demographic Research (CIDR) is the center for demographic research and training at the City University of New York. CIDR’s affiliated faculty come from across Baruch College and a number of other CUNY colleges, and support a vibrant graduate program in demographic studies. The research interests of its prominent faculty span a wide range of fields within the discipline including, aging, biodemography, economic demography, family dynamics, fertility, migration, mortality, spatial demography, and urbanization.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit organization established in 1895 and based in New York that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With a presence in more than 50 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities.

Position Background

The Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) invite applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellow. We seek a highly motivated scientist to join an interdisciplinary working group focusing on exploring the consequences of human climate migration for biodiversity globally, and avenues for coexistence with priority wildlife species in four focal countries (Colombia, Tanzania, Mongolia, and China). This project is funded by the Science for Nature and People Partnership, a joint initiative of WCS and the Nature Conservancy that advances evidence-based, scalable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges at the intersection of nature conservation, sustainable development, and human well-being.

Position Roles and Responsibilities

The Fellow will conduct independent research (75%) and lead coordination of a SNAPP working group (25%) as outlined below.

Research – The Fellow will conduct 1) a global assessment to identify hotspots where projected human climate migration and population growth correspond with important areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services, and 2) a series of regional assessments of the impacts and opportunities for the conservation of priority species in four diverse landscapes informed by a literature review of internal migration and population growth, focusing on emergent governance structures relevant to natural resources management under a changing climate. The regional assessments will be used to create a framework for engagement with communities and policymakers and inform existing efforts in conservation, development, migration, and adaptation planning in future phases of the project.

The project will integrate multiple global and regional datasets, including refining and applying spatially explicit projections of human climate migration developed by the World Bank and utilizing data on biodiversity, protected areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, critical natural assets, areas of high ecological integrity, and projections of human population growth.

SNAPP Working Group Coordination – The Fellow will lead the coordination of an established international SNAPP working group, consisting of over 20 experts in biodiversity, sustainability, migration, and resource management from across the focal countries and beyond, to incorporate regional insights, data, and priorities into an analytical framework and the development of tailored resilience plans. The framework and resilience plans will also stem from the outputs of the global and regional assessments described above. The Fellow will interact closely with all working group members through regular (quarterly) virtual meetings and will lead the coordination of site-based meetings in each focal country (Colombia, Mongolia, China, and Tanzania).

Other duties as assigned.

Experience and qualifications

Ideal candidates will have a strong quantitative background, experience with large-scale geospatial analysis and ecological modeling, an interest in human migration and complex human-wildlife interactions, demonstrated interpersonal and coordination skills, and a motivation to contribute to science that informs applied conservation outcomes.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Ecology, Geography, Environmental Sciences, or a related field;
• Strong quantitative skills (e.g., ecological and/or demographic modeling, geospatial analysis, remote sensing, ML/AI, statistical analysis);
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research;
• Record of publishing high-quality science in peer-reviewed journals;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Successful candidates will also have one or more of the following:

• Experience coordinating working groups and convening meetings;
• International experience in one or more of the focal countries;
• Experience with climate models, projections, and scenarios, and data products that use climate data to make predictions;
• Experience at the nexus of human migration/mobility, governance, sustainable development, and conflict;
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams of researchers.

Application procedure

To apply, please include 1) a brief cover letter describing your research interests and background and how they align with this position, 2) an updated CV, and 3) contact information for two references.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $62,700

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.