Postdoctoral Researcher​/Faculty

The Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to evaluate urban green infrastructure's role in wildlife conservation and natural resource management in the Midwest. The candidate will work with a team of scientists to synthesize knowledge on urbanization and ecosystems, focusing on climate resilience. This position involves interdisciplinary scholarship and is annually renewable for up to two years, with a focus on collaborative projects and best practices.
Position: Postdoctoral Researcher (Faculty)

The Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) is seeking a postdoctoral scholar to work closely with a team of natural and social scientists to evaluate the state of adaptation in the Midwest in sectors that relate to the intersection of urban green infrastructure with wildlife conservation and natural resource management. The ERI is one of the founding institutions of the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (MCASC), a Center funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and comprising academic and partner institutions in Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The ideal candidate will help strengthen our consortium’s approach to synthesis and communicate patterns and practices across the region, with the goal of accelerating the pace of adaptation in natural resources management. This project aims to synthesize knowledge around urbanization and ecosystems, focusing on the mixed nature of cities as oases and wastelands for wildlife, and examining the particular role that urban biodiversity may play in climate resilience.

The topic is relevant to the MCASC, given the urbanized and industrialized nature of much of the Midwest and the ecological pressures already placed on wildlife from agricultural practices. The overarching research questions are:
• What role do urbanized areas play in wildlife preservation and climate adaptation of ecosystems?
• Conversely, how are urban areas threats to wildlife preservation and climate adaptation?
• What design and policy tools are available in this region to maximize the positive impacts of urban green infrastructure with respect to wildlife preservation and climate adaptation?

We are seeking a person experienced in interdisciplinary scholarship at the interface of the ecological and social sciences with expertise in mixed-methods approaches. The position is annually renewable with continuation dependent on performance and availability of funds, for up to two years.

The MCASC Consortium’s vision is to advance climate adaptation science and practice across all components of the climate adaptation cycle by pursuing region-specific, collaborative, synthesis projects that build on past work, provide new resources and tools, and catalyze adaptation capacity across the Midwest. The Postdoctoral Fellow will help coordinate and serve as the principal analyst and researcher for the Consortium’s second synthesis project: What is the role of urban systems and green infrastructure in fostering climate resilience for Midwest ecosystems?

Phase one of this project will yield a model based on multiple urbanized systems that will form the backbone of a “best practices” guide and inform a research roadmap for urban green infrastructure that builds urban biodiversity and climate resilience for both non-human and human organisms, as opposed to the typical practice of designing urban green infrastructure for human benefit or profit.

The model will then be tested in Phase 2 with the assistance of MCASC partner organizations across various urban areas in the Midwest region to gauge green infrastructure capacity and future plans for climate resilience.

The postdoc will additionally:
• Coordinate and support the day-to-day activities of the Synthesis Workgroup, which consists of Consortium members from academia and agencies;
• Communicate in a variety of formats to document workgroup progress, organize regular project communications, help organize the annual network meeting, and contribute to other training activities of the MCASC.

This position will also play a leadership role in the coordination and management of a regional Community of Practice in partnership with the Consortium’s designated Program Lead for capacity-building. The postdoc will lead data synthesis and senior-author associated manuscripts. Research outcomes will be co-produced with non-academic project partners to support the implementation of research findings into operations and environmental decision-making. This will require thoughtful partner engagement, regular briefings, and recommendation memos, and this experience will result in the development of a professional academic and non-academic…