Post Doctoral Research Associate - Endangered Roseate Tern

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued-and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Senner Lab at UMass in the Department of Environmental Conservation is looking for a postdoctoral research associate. The position will support a collaborative U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-funded project - along with Dr. Peter Paton at the University of Rhode Island, Dr. John Herbert at Mass Audubon, and Dr. Don Lyons at the National Audubon - to develop a population viability analyses for the endangered Roseate Tern along the Atlantic Coast.

Essential Functions

• Lead efforts to model the future population dynamics of Roseate Terns given potential offshore window development and climatic change by making use of GPS-derived movement data and historical demographic data collected at breeding colonies over the past few decades.
• Help lead stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Lead and contribute to publications and conference presentations stemming from the current project, as well as past project data collection.
• Join in current field data collection efforts, develop new project ideas and submit grant proposals alongside collaborators and students at UMass, URI, Mass Audubon, and National Audubon.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean's strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology or related field prior to the start date.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research.
• History of publishing scientific research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Expertise in movement ecology, demographic modeling and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong writing and quantitative skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Standard office - ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
• Ability to complete fieldwork including mark-resighting efforts which will take place on offshore islands and involve the use of a boat.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm. Work schedule may vary.

Additional Information

• The position will be for 12 months with a potential to renew for a second year. The start date is negotiable between 1 July - 1 September, 2025.

Salary Information

• $65,000 annually.

Application Instructions

Along with the application, please submit a resume and a cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Candidates that identify with groups currently underrepresented in wildlife ecology and conservation are encouraged to apply. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Nathan Senner (nsenner@umass.edu).

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. You can find these values and goals here: https://www.umass.edu/strategicplan/strategic-plan.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.