Postdoctoral Scholar: Quantitative Plant Hydraulics

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information

Working Title	Postdoctoral Scholar: Quantitative Plant Hydraulics
Position Location	Fort Collins, CO
Work Location	Position is fully in-office/in-person
Research Professional Position	Yes
Posting Number	202300963AP
Position Type	Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title	Postdoctoral Fellows
Number of Vacancies
Work Hours/Week	40
Proposed Annual Salary Range	$60,000 - $65,000
Employee Benefits	Colorado State University is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for eligible employees in the following University benefit areas:https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ and https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ . To see the value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, visit our compensation calculator – https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/ .
Desired Start Date
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on	06/19/2023
Description of Work Unit	Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately 157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000 foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities. Housed within the Warner College of Natural Resources, the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship at Colorado State University is an interdisciplinary academic program uniquely poised to advance education, research, and outreach in vegetation measurements and forest biometry. The existing programs in the department include forest ecology, forest economics and management, forest fire science, rangeland ecology and management, resource policy and planning, and geospatial sciences. The Warner College of Natural Resources is home to five academic departments and several centers and institutes such as the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, the WESTFIRE Research Center, the Colorado State Forest Service, Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. These programs, institutes and centers provide a foundation for research, education and outreach in this field. Linkages across department and colleges, and with federal and state land managers and research centers, form a broader interdisciplinary foundation for increased impact.
Position Summary	The plant ecophysiology labs at CSU (PI: Ocheltree) and the ARS (PI: Gleason) are seeking applications for a post-doctoral researcher to either: 1) Develop a numerical model of fluid flow through the vasculature of plants (ie. Porous media), or 2) Develop new methods to quantify the flow of water and formation of embolisms in the xylem conduits of grass leaves. The postdoc will be expected to perform independent research toward the development of, at least, one of these two goals. There are several existing xylem network models that could serve as possible starting points for the desired model, but all these models have shortcomings that prevent wide implementation within the plant physiology community. The model will need to include water and gas flows through individual vessel elements and pit membranes scaled up to the whole-plant xylem, including root, stem, branch, and leaf xylem components. Similarly, methods exist for quantifying water flow and embolism formation in leaves, but many of these techniques have limitations when applied to the parallel venation of grass leaves. Our overall goal for this work is to improve our ability to explain and predict plant performance across a range of environmental conditions by investigating fine-scale patterns of water and gas movement in leaves. Both goals listed above will require the postdoc to draw from diverse fields of study, possibly including civil engineering (e.g., design of municipal water resources), electrical engineering (e.g., circuit design and analysis), porous media, computer science, and plant biology. We are especially interested in candidates that have a background in engineering, physics, and/or computer science that are interested in utilizing their skills to impact the field of biology and/or ecology. The successful applicant will be based at Colorado State University but will be required to collaborate closely with researchers at Colorado State University, the US Department of Agriculture, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (The Netherlands), Ulm University (Germany), and the University of Campinas (Brazil). The postdoc will be expected to co-author manuscripts for scientific journals, write progress reports, assist with proposal writing, and train collaborators.
Required Job Qualifications	PhD degree in engineering (civil, electrical, porous media, etc.), computational biology, plant physiology or commensurate knowledge and experience designing hydraulic networks, programming, vascular biology, and model development.
Preferred Job Qualifications	Evidence of working independently and as a team member. Evidence of potential to develop a high-impact publication record. Experience with computer languages commonly used in biological modeling, preferably open-source software (e.g., Python, C++, R), and an understanding of model development, mathematics, and hydraulic networks. Training in modeling and plant biology. Experience modeling hydraulic networks. Expertise in mathematics and/or Physics
Diversity Statement	Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Essential Duties

Job Duty Category	Research
Duty/Responsibility	Develop project, collect data, analyze data, publish results.
Percentage Of Time	90%

Job Duty Category	Project Management
Duty/Responsibility	Ensure progress, manage any student hourlies, coordinate with other scientists working on related projects.
Percentage Of Time	10%

Application Details

Special Instructions to Applicants	To apply, please upload a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred job qualifications, a resume, a copy of your unofficial transcripts, and the contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.
Conditions of Employment	Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact	[email protected]
EEO Statement	Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services. The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, [email protected] . The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] . The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] . Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
Background Check Policy Statement	Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.