The Natural Capital Project at Stanford University is recruiting a postdoctoral scholar to work on an NSF Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease (EEID)-funded project (DEB-2011147) investigating the effects of land use change on vector-borne disease. The position will be advised by Dr. Gretchen Daily and Dr. Lisa Mandle and based with the Biology Department at Stanford University. The overall objective of the project is to understand the successional dynamics of vector-borne diseases with changing land use, as well as to generalize beyond system-specific, descriptive case studies to mechanistic understanding and prediction of the consequences of land use decisions for infectious disease.

The postdoc will integrate field data from Madre de Dios, Peru on vector distributions, pathogen presence, disease incidence and human behavior with remote sensing data to answer questions about the ecological and socio-economic drivers of patterns of disease. They will also contribute to the Natural Capital Project’s efforts to develop generalizable models linking land use/land cover to human disease risk. The postdoc will have the opportunity to collaborate and interact with other project PIs based at Stanford University (Dr. Erin Mordecai – Dept. of Biology, and Dr. Eric Lambin – Earth System Science), at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science (Dr. Andrew MacDonald), and at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru (Dr. Willy Lescano).

This position is one of two open postdoc positions associated with this NSF EEID project. The other position is based with the MacDonald disease ecology lab at UC Santa Barbara. Information about the UC Santa Barbara position is available here: https://andrewjmacdonald.weebly.com/prospective-students--opportunities.html. A single application can be submitted to apply to both the Stanford and UC Santa Barbara positions. See below or https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/who-we-are/open-positions for more details on how to apply.

The position based at Stanford University is for one year, with the possibility of extension based on performance and funding availability. The expected base pay for this position is the Stanford University required minimum for all postdoctoral scholars appointed through the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The FY23 minimum is $68,238.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in ecology, environmental science or a related field
• Strong quantitative and geospatial analysis skills
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with project team members
• Very good written and oral communication skills in English

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
(Note: Having one or more of the following qualifications is an asset, but we do not expect a single candidate to have all the qualifications listed here)

• Very good written and oral communication skills in Spanish
• Experience with development of spatial models
• Experience working in interdisciplinary team settings
• Prior experience with field research in the Peruvian Amazon or neighboring regions
• Strong publication record

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS

• Cover letter summarizing your relevant experience and qualifications and your interest in the position
• CV
• Names and contact information for 3 references

To apply please send one email to both lmandle@stanford.edu and macdonald@bren.ucsb.edu with the subject line “NSF EEID POSTDOC” and attach a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references. The cover letter should summarize your relevant experience and qualifications and your interest in the position(s), as well as indicate which of the positions (UC Santa Barbara, Stanford, or both) you are applying for. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting Feb. 15 and until the positions are filled.

Stanford University is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer, committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce. It welcomes applications from women, members of minority groups, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring additional dimensions to the university's research and teaching mission.