Geological Postdoctoral Fellow

The Climate and Carbon Sciences Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) seeks a creative postdoctoral scientist to improve the next generation of dynamic global vegetation models.
The primary goal of this project is to advance Earth system model representation of changes in forest distribution and structure with climate change. Science questions of interest include, How will climate change alter the turnover of individual trees and of carbon in forest ecosystems? How sensitive are rates of forest range shifts to interannual and multi-decadal climate variability? How sensitive is forest development to variation in tree recruitment following disturbance?  With what level of detail must forest demographic processes be represented to accurately capture forest responses to climate change at regional scales?
The postdoctoral fellow will interact closely with field experimentalists and numerical modelers conducting research on tree demography and physiology, demographic modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, and Earth system modeling. The project involves a wide range of activities including (a) synthesis of data from diverse sources, such as permanent plots and field experiments, to create observational benchmarks for land surface models with plant demography schemes (e.g., ED2, CLM(ED)); (b) model sensitivity studies examining dependence of forest distribution and structure on uncertain assumptions; and (c) algorithm development for key processes such as tree recruitment and seed dispersal. The primary regions of interest are Western North America and the moist-wet tropics.
The successful candidate will join a large, dynamic, and interdisciplinary department that is making climate and ecosystem observations and developing and applying ecosystem, atmospheric process, and climate models. Collaborating principal investigators are Lara Kueppers, Jeff Chambers, Charlie Koven, Nate McDowell (LANL), Rosie Fisher (NCAR) and others. Berkeley Lab is a renowned center of scientific expertise in many facets of climate-related fundamental and applied science. The position starts Summer 2015.
Applicants are asked to upload a CV, one-page statement of research interests, up to three publications as PDFs, and contact information for three references to the LBNL application portal under position number 80687.

For full consideration, please apply by 5:00 PM (Pacific Time), April 24, 2015.
Required Qualifications:
• PhD in ecology, forest science, Earth system science, applied mathematics, or other relevant discipline
• Strong quantitative foundation in statistics or numerical modeling
• Demonstrated ability to design, conduct, and publish research related to plant demography or climate-ecosystem interactions
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Established record of publication and presentation
• Ability to start Summer 2015
• Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills necessary for working in a multidisciplinary research team
• Programming experience
This is a 1 year term appointment with the possibility of renewal for up to 3 years based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds, and ongoing operational needs.  Salary for postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
This position requires completion of a background check.
How To Apply
Apply directly online and follow the on-line instructions to complete the application process.
Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.