What are the responsibilities and job description for the Post Doc Research Scientist position at Field Museum?
Our Mission: Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.
Join our team and enjoy a benefits package that truly supports your well-being and lifestyle:
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Including medical, dental, vision plans, and even pet insurance.
- Financial Security: Life and disability benefits plus a 403(b) savings plan to help you plan for the future.
- Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off, paid sick leave, and paid holidays to ensure you have time to recharge and spend with loved ones.
- Exclusive Perks: Enjoy great employee discounts and complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions.
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We are accepting applications for a 1.5 year postdoctoral fellowship at the Field Museum of Natural History, investigating the functional morphology and evolution of the vertebral columns of mammals in the clade Eulipotyphla (shrews, moles, hedgehogs, and solenodons).
Our postdoc will join a collaborative NSF-funded research project (IOS-2223964/5, https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2223964), and will conduct research concerning the shape, function, and evolution of the lumbar spine at small body sizes, using eulipotyphlans as a model system. The selected candidate will report to Drs. Stephanie Smith and Kenneth Angielczyk (Field Museum), and will have the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Tristan Stayton, the PI of a collaborative grant at Bucknell University. The postdoc will be allowed to develop their own research within the scope of the funded project.
Resources available for this position include: access to the Field Museum modern and fossil mammal collections, including a huge variety of eulipotyphlan skeletal and fluid-preserved specimens; a library of approximately 150 existing microCT scans of eulipotyphlan lumbar vertebrae executed for the project; an in-house CT scanning facility at the Field Museum for scanning additional relevant specimens; and high-powered 3D imaging workstations with scan segmentation and finite element modeling software. In addition to conducting research, this postdoc will be expected to participate in broader impacts activities, including but not limited to those described in the grant. These include: development of K-12 educational tools related to the grant for dissemination through the Field Museums Harris Learning Collection Experience Boxes; and development of an in-gallery scavenger hunt for tiny animals in Field Museum galleries, aimed at engaging visitors with the biomechanical adaptations for being small.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Candidates must hold a Ph.D. by the start of the position; soon-to-graduate Ph.D. candidates are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have experience with multivariate statistics and R programming. Further, applicants should be interested in and have experience with some combination of: phenotypic evolution, skeletal biology, functional morphology, biomechanics, mammalogy, geometric morphometrics, CT imaging, body size evolution, and/or 3D data processing and analysis.
OTHER LOGISTIC DETAILS: Start date is negotiable but should be early 2025. Position is eligible for fringe benefits, and will remain open until filled.
HOW TO APPLY: Please email Stephanie Smith (smsmith@fieldmuseum.org) with a CV (including publication list), names and contact information of three references, and a cover letter including the following:
- A description of past research experience relevant to this position
- A short description of one or more projects that you would like to carry out that fit into the scope of the funded project
- A description of relevant experience with scientific outreach
Pay: $48,000/Annually
The Field Museum is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination, embracing diversity, and fostering mutual respect. We value the unique perspectives each team member brings, which empowers our ability to innovate and overcome challenges.
At the Field Museum, we are dedicated to making our career website and recruitment process accessible to everyone. If you encounter any difficulty when using or accessing our online application, or if you need a reasonable accommodation for completing your application, participating in interviews, or any other part of the selection process, please reach out to us at accessibility@fieldmuseum.org.
Salary : $48,000
