What are the responsibilities and job description for the Climate-Smart Post-Doctoral Research Associate position at Rodale Institute?

Job Description

The Climate-Smart program will expand Climate-Smart agriculture and markets across organic and conventional farms in the Southern Piedmont (VA, NC, SC, GA, and AL). This work will implement Climate-Smart cover crops and reduced-till farming and plasticulture, study the impacts of these practices on greenhouse gas emissions and soil health, verify and improve the USDA COMET Planner Model for Southern Piedmont soils, assess the economic and social barriers to transition to Climate-Smart agriculture, evaluate various marketing strategies abilities to influence consumer behavior toward the purchase of Climate-Smart commodities, develop an easy-to-use app for farmers to utilize while marketing value-added Climate-Smart commodities, and model the impacts that climate change will have on the suite of commodities grown in the region. This project provides enhanced financial incentives for underserved and small-scale farmers to encourage participation. The project plans to increase revenue streams and provide enhanced financial incentives, equipment, and technical assistance to guide the Southern Piedmont farming community toward the adoption of Climate-Smart agriculture. This is a collaborative project led by Rodale Institute that includes 12 universities, NGOs, and for-profit institutions across the Southeast and Midwest.

The Post Doctoral Research Associate will report to Climate-Smart Project Director and work in collaboration with the Assistant Professor of Integrative Precision Agriculture – University of Georgia. The Climate-Smart Post-Doctoral Research Associate will lead cover crop density and nutrient composition data collection and analysis across project farms using drone and remote sensing technologies and field sampling. These data will be integrated with Eddy Covariance data collection of ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide and soil health data collected from participating farm test plots. They will participate in outreach activities that includes writing factsheets, bulletins, web articles, peer-reviewed publications, and presenting project results through webinars, meetings, and conference presentations. Additionally, this position will work closely with Climate-Smart partners, the Rodale Institute’s Climate-Smart Outreach Coordinator, Climate-Smart Farm Coordinator, Climate-Smart Research Technician, and other Rodale and project staff to ensure timely and accurate execution of project deliverables.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES :

Duties include but are not limited to :

Fly a DJI Mavic 3M multispectral drone collecting cover crop density and other data from enrolled fields
Work closely with the Climate-Smart Farm Coordinator and partner technical assistance team to cover crop maturity and termination timing for effective data collection
Process and analyze multispectral drone data using Pix4D mapper software
Assess cover crop density and health across climate-smart cropping techniques, farms, and farm types
Manage and implement the sampling design and collection of cover crop field samples for drone data verification and nutrient analysis
Ship cover crop samples to the laboratory for analysis
Assess cover crop nutrient analysis across climate-smart cropping techniques, farms, and farm types
Work with project partners on the integration of Eddy Covariance greenhouse gas and soil health data with cover crop drone and nutrient analyses
Under combined supervision of the Climate-Smart Project Director and Assistant Professor of Integrative Precision Agriculture – University of Georgia, produce peer-reviewed publications and white papers generated from this work
Produce grant proposals and research reports, and work with the Rodale Institute Climate-Smart Outreach Coordinator, Communications Department, and project partners to create outreach and education publications, including bulletins, fact sheets, and web articles
Present research findings in webinars and regional and national conferences
Assist in national and local conference Climate-Smart sessions working with Rodale Institute’s Climate-Smart Outreach Coordinator and project partners to plan and moderate the sessions
Attend multi-institutional meetings throughout the duration of the project
Participate and assist in all education and outreach activities, including presenting at on-farm field days
Assist the Climate-Smart Project Director with project quarterly reporting to the USDA
Close coordination between project partners and the Rodale Climate-Smart team, and other Rodale staff to ensure effective, smooth execution of the project
Other items as needed to ensure the project runs smoothly and all deliverables and objectives are met.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS :

Ph.D. in Precision Agriculture, Crop Science, Agronomy, Soil science, Weed Science, or closely related fields

Must have or being willing to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Experience flying drones equipped with sensing payloads

Experience processing multispectral data using Pix4D Mapper or similar software

Strong background in conducting field research, statistical analysis, and data management

Track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals (at least two peer-reviewed publications as first author)

Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to develop and articulate sound ideas and arguments to a wide range of farming professionals, researchers, NGO teams, and the public

Interest and ability in working, collaborating, and communicating in a team environment with individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences

Excellent self-motivation requiring little supervision. Ability to work independently and as a member of a team

Must have or be able to obtain a valid driver's license prior to starting the position

Evidence of attention to detail and ability to develop and maintain high quality records and other documentation is required

Self-starter and self-motivated with the ability to prioritize multiple activities.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS :

Prior working experience with cover crops in organic and / or conventional systems

Prior working experience in cover crop nutrient analysis

Excellent communication skills and ability to develop and articulate sound ideas and arguments to teams and internal and external scientific partners

Interest and ability in working, collaborating, and communicating in a team environment with individuals of diverse backgrounds

Grant writing experience

Evidence of attention to detail and ability to develop and maintain high quality records and other documentation is desirable

Ability to quickly adapt and pivot between research, management, and logistical skill sets

Interested in working on a regional, large-scale, multi-disciplinary project managed remotely to accelerate the improvement of southern farmers’ impact on climate change.

TRAVEL :

Frequent travel throughout southeastern United States (VA, NC, SC, GA, and AL) is required for drone and cover crop data collection, farmer field days, yearly Climate-Smart Partner meetings, conferences, and other events as needed throughout the project.

COMPENSATION :

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience

This position is eligible for a comprehensive Rodale Institute benefits package

This is a three-year position contingent upon satisfactory performance and funding availability

OTHER RODALE INSTITUTE EXPECTATIONS :

Be honest, respectful and take ownership of our work and mission.

APPLICATION MATERIALS :

Cover letter discussing how the applicant qualifications match the stated project qualifications

Detailed curriculum vitae

Sample of first-authored journal publication

Contact information (including phone numbers, institutional addresses, and email addresses) of three current references, preferable from the most recent positions held

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, sexual identity or handicap.

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