Career Center

A Postdoctoral Scholar position is available to work on collaborative, community-engaged research on compost as a climate solution. This position is funded by the University of California, Merced Climate Action Research program. The project aims to develop and pilot a Compost Climate Action Plan in San Joaquin Valley of California that achieves greenhouse gas reduction, fosters adaptive agroecosystems, and is centered on social justice. The project consists of community-engaged research, compost-climate curriculum development, and distribution of a regional climate action plan.

The successful candidate will contribute to an interdisciplinary team to co-develop research projects based on local needs assessment. These projects will address relevant knowledge gaps on composting and compost benefits and identify high-priority regions for investment and pollution reduction from industrial-scale composting. The successful candidate will perform laboratory and field research with a goal of determining the potential for composting and compost use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase soil carbon, improve soil water retention, and enhance community resilience.

The postdoc hired for this position will be expected to work independently and in collaborative teams, respectfully engage with community partners, develop novel research ideas, and write research papers in a timely manner. In addition, the postdoc will be able to mentor graduate students and undergraduate students who will work on relevant projects as needed.

The postdoc will be co-mentored by Drs. Rebecca Ryals, Teamrat Ghezzehei, and Srabani Das.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. This includes the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy.

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and invites applications from all qualified applicants, including women, minorities, veterans, and individual with disabilities, who will enrich the teaching, research and public service missions of the university. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction).

The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system’s 10 campuses. With over 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students (https://www.ucmerced.edu/fast-facts), UC Merced provides outstanding educational opportunities to highly qualified students from the heart of California, the nation, and abroad. The campus has special connections to nearby Yosemite National Park; is on the cutting edge of sustainability in construction and design; and supports the economic development of Central California. The Merced 2020 Project doubled the physical capacity of the campus, and enhanced academic distinction, student success, and research excellence (https://merced2020.ucmerced.edu/).

UC Merced is a smoke & tobacco free campus (https://smokefree.ucmerced.edu/).