Post-Doctoral Researcher

• Job Identification 40294
• Job Category Visiting Researcher
• Posting Date 04/08/2025, 03:06 PM
• Apply Before 05/09/2025, 03:59 AM
• Degree Level Doctorate Degree
• Locations 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33620, US
• Hiring Salary $60,000/yr
• Essential Personnel No
  
  

Position Summary

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of South Florida (USF) is seeking candidates for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Environmental Engineering to work on an NSF-funded research project, Large-scale CoPe: “Reducing Climate Risks with Equitable Nature-based Solutions: Engaging Communities on Reef-Lined Coasts.” The postdoc will work primarily with Dr. Maya Trotz in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Dr. Rebecca Zarger in Anthropology. The main duties include assistance in establishing and maintaining partnerships with local individuals and community organizations in Belize, Miami, Florida, and the US Virgin Islands, as well as contributing to the design and research of most aspects of the grant. As much as possible, interdisciplinary, and trans-institutional collaboration will be encouraged for the postdoc. This appointment will be for one year with the possibility for multi-year extension depending on job performance.

With this position there will be opportunities to contribute to writing grant proposals, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, writing research papers, teaching, and presenting project research to various audiences that support the postdoc’s professional development. In addition, the postdoc may be involved in co-development and delivery of participatory workshops with community partners in project sites and other research projects that emerge from the community engaged research activities of the Hub.

This project advances our understanding of coastal flood and erosion risk and the role of ecosystems and equitable “Nature Based Solutions (NBS)” to empirically assess hazards reduction, vulnerability and overall risk. The goals are 1) to establish an inclusive participatory co-design approach for assessing current and future coastal risks and rigorously quantifying the benefits of NBS, including coral reef and mangrove restoration and protection, for reducing risks, while enhancing human well-being, economic recovery, and biodiversity benefits; and 2) to determine how community experiences of risk differ within and across sites, how that affects NBS implementation, and how adaptive capacity to mitigate increasing hazards like sea-level rise and storm surge are related to localized impacts. The convergence research approach advances the quantitative, data-driven evaluation of NBS for hazard risk reduction, while assessing social and economic co-benefits and limitations. This project is co-creating new knowledge with people in Florida, the US Virgin Islands, and Belize, on how ecosystem-based processes can help reduce risks and support appropriate NBS. The postdoctoral associate will develop independent research within the above themes and actively collaborate with other researchers who are a part of our CoPe Hub. The team's complementary expertise in engineering, ecology and social sciences, linking 7 academic institutions, local partners, and cross-regional organizations, expands the scope of potential research outcomes to global tropical coastlines beyond the three focus regions.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctoral degree from an accredited institution or the highest degree appropriate in Environmental Engineering, Anthropology, Environmental Science, Marine Science, or related field, with a demonstrated record of successfully working within interdisciplinary research team settings. Individuals with research expertise and achievements in coastal sustainability, environmental social sciences, co-production with coastal actors, Nature-based Solutions, and community engaged research are encouraged to apply.

Preferred Qualifications

In general, we are looking for individuals that contribute to our successes in Nature-based Solutions, and in collaborative, locally grounded perspectives. The successful applicant should demonstrate expertise with working with academic and non-academic partners of differing backgrounds, with local community stakeholders, and with communicating science and engineering to a range of groups.

Additional Information For Applicants

The packet must contain a cover letter, resume, and references. The cover letter should be addressed to the Dr. Maya A. Trotz, Project Director, Large-scale CoPe: Reducing Climate Risks with Equitable Nature-based Solutions: Engaging Communities on Reef-Lined Coasts, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, ENG030, Tampa, Florida, 33620.

Review of applicants will begin immediately.

This job is subject to Foreign Influence Screening: During the 2021 Florida legislative session, House Bill 7017 (“HB 7017”) was passed and later signed into law by Governor DeSantis. The new law modifies a variety of Florida Statutes to address concerns regarding improper foreign influence. With regard to employment at major research institutions like the University of South Florida, the new law requires thorough review of certain applicants for positions involving research.