Open Jobs

Welcome to the Pasternack Lab web page devoted to Our open positions

Background

Beginning in December 2022, a transdisciplinary (i.e., within and beyond academia) group of professionals coalesced with concerns about the intertwining of complex challenges facing our urban stream corridors, which could be exacerbated by rapid climatic change. Through several meetings and other communications, the group formed a team to write proposals to get funding to take action. Our team includes professionals from seven organizations: University of California Davis, San Jose State University, University of California Cooperative Extension, SafeR³, and 3 of the Bay Area's regional resource conservation districts (RCDs) - North Santa Clara, East Bay, and Napa. We are now at the stage where we are seeking to hire people to work on the team as we go from the lanning stage to the implementation stage of the work.

Mission

The graphic below illustrates the essence of our interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary mission, including two broad-based questions addressing the nexus of natural hazards, wildlife habitat, and human populatins in urban stream corridors during a period of rapid climate change.

Jobs Open For Recruitment

At this time, we have 3 positions that we are recruiting for, two at UC Davis and one at SDSU. The positions are listed below, with full descriptions following in that order.

Ecogeomorphology of Urban Stream Corridors
Remote Sensing and AI Forecasting of the Vulnerability of Urban Stream Corridor Socio-Ecology to Climate Change
Social Vulnerability and Resilience of Urban Stream Corridors

Postdoctoral Position in Ecogeomorphology of Urban Stream Corridors

Project Description: Prof. Greg Pasternack (https://pasternack.ucdavis.edu/) and Prof. Yufang Jin (https://jin.ucdavis.edu/) in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources at the University of California Davis invite applications for a postdoctoral scholar position to research urban stream corridor (USC) archetypes, including interdisciplinary ecological, hydrological, geomorphic, socio-economic, and hydraulic considerations. Urban areas in California span a wide range of “genetic” environmental conditions, yielding a variety of USC archetypes. In turn, USC archetypes have different physical hazards, support unique habitats and ecological functions, and present different opportunities and challenges for unhoused folks and their social support services. This is the hazard-habitat-unhoused (HHU) nexus. However, USC archetypes are poorly known, classified, or spatially mapped, so we cannot understand the present HHU nexus, let alone forecast how they will change in the future. We are seeking a highly motivated scholar to help design and then implement a rigorous experimental framework and field campaign to characterize and differentiate USC archetypes. This position will be 1 of 3 postdocs involved, with the others addressing (i) socio-ecology of USC unhoused folks and (ii) remote sensing and AI prediction of USC socio-geo-ecology for forecasting USC habitat and unhoused population dynamics. Applicants may also indicate their interest in one of the other open positions if that is as good or better for the applicant’s scholarship.

Job Duties: This position will involve a mix of USC fieldwork using classic river science methods & skills, modern geospatial & statistical analyses, scientific writing, and related academic duties. Fluvial hydro-geomorphic field skills will be needed to lead a field data collection campaign visiting and surveying many different stream sites within the Bay Area region of California. Geospatial and multivariate statistical analysis skills will be needed to create the experimental design and analyze resulting data to characterize and differentiate USC archetypes, using and potentially adding to existing algorithms in hand for these purposes. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research, other professional skills and experiences that could be beneficial for hiring might include coding in R or Python3, working with topographic point cloud datasets, topographic surveying with total station and/or RTK GPS, operating aerial drones, outdoor and safety skills, hydraulic modeling, ecohydraulic analysis, ecological function analysis, desire & proficiency to publish in scientific journals, ability to communicate (oral and in print) research findings to multiple academic and nonacademic audiences, and/or transdisciplinary outreach with underserved urban communities.

Job Qualifications & Expectations: Applicants must possess a PhD from an accredited university by September 1, 2023 in one of the following fields: Physical Geography, Ecology, Civil (aka Infrastructural, Environmental, or Hydraulic) Engineering, Hydrology, Geology, Urban Studies, Applied Math, Statistics or related field. The scholar will be expected to adhere to project goals and tasks, while taking initiative with duties. The scholar will be expected to collaborate compassionately, inclusively, and effectively among diverse peers, students, and as part of the larger team that has multiple investigators and workers from academia, local government, and nonprofits, spanning diverse disciplines. Must be able to swim as a safety precaution. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Remotely located employment is not an option due to the field work involved. Must be licensed and willing to drive the field crew to USC survey sites in the Bay Area region. Demonstrated experience and skill with organization, time management, data management, oral and written communication, and scientific publication are preferred. The successful candidate will receive training as needed to supplement their initial capabilities.

Salary & Benefits: The initial appointment duration for this 100% time position is two years. All University of California postdoctoral scholars receive benefits and are paid according to the same union-negotiated salary scale with mandatory annual increases. The successful applicant’s salary will be determined based on their individual status with respect to “step” criteria at the time their employment begins.

Application & Contract Information: Applications are open for submission now and they will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications received before August 7, 2023 are guaranteed to be given full consideration. Candidates should send a well-crafted cover letter summarizing their research and career interests tying to their reason for applying for this job, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three academic or professional references. All applications (e-mailed as a single PDF file) should be emailed to Professor Greg Pasternack <gpast@ucdavis.edu>.

University Information: This position is based in the. UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/). We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There is a plethora of links available where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs - With Updated Interim Amendments. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine Primary Series or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, Religious Objection, and/or Deferral based on pregnancy or recent COVID-19 diagnosis and/or treatment) no later than the applicable deadline. All Covered Individuals must also provide proof of receiving the most recent CDC-recommended COVID-19 booster or properly decline such booster no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees should refer to Exhibit 2, Section II.C. of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Attachment for applicable deadlines. All Covered Individuals must also provide proof of being Up-To-Date on seasonal influenza vaccination or properly decline such vaccination no later than the applicable deadline. Please refer to the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Program Attachment. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

Postdoctoral Position in Remote Sensing and AI Forecasting of the Vulnerability of Urban Stream Corridor Socio-Ecology to Climate Change

Project Description: Prof. Yufang Jin (https://jin.ucdavis.edu/) and Prof. Greg Pasternack (https://pasternack.ucdavis.edu/) in the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources at the University of California Davis invite applications for a postdoctoral scholar position to research urban stream corridors (USCs), addressing intertwined ecological, hydrological, geomorphic, hydraulic, and socio-economic issues as they exist today and forecasting for 2050 under climate change. Urban areas in California span a wide range of “genetic” environmental conditions, yielding a variety of USC archetypes. In turn, USC archetypes have different physical hazards, support unique habitats and ecological functions, and present different opportunities and challenges for unhoused folks and their social support services. This is the hazard-habitat-unhoused (HHU) nexus. However, USC archetypes are poorly known, classified, or spatially mapped, limiting our understanding of the present HHU nexus and forecasting how they will change in the future. We are seeking a highly motivated scholar to develop an AI model predicting the contemporary spatial pattern of USC types in California’s geographically complex Bay Area, and then forecast its future changes in 2050 under climate change and economic development, to assess risks and opportunities. This position will be 1 of 3 postdocs involved, with the others addressing (i) socio-ecology of USC unhoused folks and (ii) USC eco-geomorphology and ecohydraulics. Applicants may also indicate their interest in one of the other open positions if that is as good or better for the applicant’s scholarship.

Job Duties: This position will involve four major activities building on existing code and methods with novel developments based on the applicant’s creativity and scholarship. First, use remote sensing and informatics to obtain and curate the critical regional datasets characterizing current USC physical, ecological, and socio-economic conditions. Second, perform AI modeling to predict the spatial stream network pattern of USC types throughout the Bay Area region using unique training data collected by other team members. Third, obtain and curate existing datasets predicting regional conditions in 2050, drawing on available forecasts for climate (dynamically and statistically downscaled), flood hydrology, land use, human population, and other available forecasts for 2050. Finally, run trained AI models to forecast USC types and associated hazard-habitat-unhoused conditions in 2050.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research, other professional skills and experiences that could be beneficial for hiring might include a background in or demonstrated experience with computational algorithms (e.g., image processing, machine learning, and optimization), parallel computing, GPU-based numerical modeling, experience with API’s for different remote sensing data sources and products, experience with neural network and deep learning modeling, climate modeling, hydrologic modeling, hydraulic modeling, and ecological function analysis, desire & proficiency to publish in scientific journals, ability to communicate (oral and in print) research findings to multiple academic and nonacademic audiences, and/or transdisciplinary outreach with underserved urban communities. Hands on experience with operating drones and working with point cloud datasets such as aerial lidar are a plus.

Job Qualifications & Expectations: Applicants must possess a PhD from an accredited university by September 1, 2023 in one of the following fields: Remote Sensing, Computer Science, Data Science, Geography, Ecology, Civil (aka Infrastructural, Environmental, or Hydraulic) Engineering, Hydrology, Geology, Atmospheric Science, Urban Studies, Applied Math, Statistics, or related field. The scholar will be expected to adhere to project goals and tasks, while taking initiative with duties. The scholar will be expected to collaborate compassionately, inclusively, and effectively among diverse peers, students, and as part of the larger team from academia, local government, and nonprofits, spanning diverse disciplines. Must have remote sensing and informatics experience. Must have strong analytical and quantitative skills, with experience in spatial and temporal data analysis and modeling. Must be proficient in coding in either R or Python. Must have experience with machine learning or other forms of artificial intelligence. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Remotely located employment is not an option. Demonstrated experience and skill with organization, time management, data management, oral and written communication, and scientific publication are preferred. The successful candidate will receive training as needed to supplement their initial capabilities.

Postdoctoral Position in Social Vulnerability and Resilience of Urban Stream Corridors

Position description pending... contact me for details