Postdoctoral Fellow in Natural Resources and Environmental Research at West Virginia University, USA
The position combines research, teaching, data analysis, field and laboratory activities, proposal development, and collaboration with government and other project partners. Research projects may operate at the state, national, and international levels, with potential sponsors including the USDA Forest Service (USFS), NOAA, USGS, National Park Service (NPS), and USDA NIFA.
Position Highlights
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Institution | West Virginia University |
| School | School of Natural Resources and the Environment |
| Location | West Virginia, USA |
| Job ID | 29940 |
| Research areas | Natural resources, land reclamation, water use, environmental perceptions |
| Degree required | PhD in Natural Resources Management or related field |
| Application deadline | Until position is filled |
| Review of applications | Begins immediately |
| Application | WVU Careers website |
| Contact | Dr. Robert Burns Robert.Burns@mail.wvu.edu |
About the Position
The Postdoctoral Fellow will serve as a research resource across projects addressing important environmental and natural-resource challenges.
The work has a strong human-dimensions and applied environmental research component. One example provided in the vacancy is recreational research in the Great Lakes, including surveys of visitors and dive operators.
The researcher will also contribute to projects involving:
Land reclamation education
Human dimensions of land and water use
Perceptions of water quality
Environmental and natural-resource management
Survey research
Data management and analysis
Field and laboratory research
Higher-education teaching
Research proposal development
The position therefore goes beyond laboratory research. The successful candidate is expected to participate in research, teaching, project management, publication, funding development and supervision.
Key Responsibilities
The selected Postdoctoral Fellow will be expected to contribute to a broad range of research and academic activities.
Research and data analysis
Responsibilities include:
Planning and conducting surveys with different population segments.
Conducting recreational studies, including research involving Great Lakes visitors and dive operators.
Creating and maintaining project databases.
Performing independent experimental data analysis.
Applying appropriate scientific methods to complex research questions.
Searching scientific literature and selecting appropriate research methodologies.
Conducting laboratory and field experiments according to established protocols.
Teaching
The researcher will also:
Assist faculty members with course instruction.
Contribute to course development.
Assist with grading.
Teach students in a higher-education environment, particularly in areas related to sustainable environmental services.
Research communication
The successful candidate will contribute to:
Peer-reviewed manuscripts
Research abstracts
Technical reports
Research/study status reports
Conference presentations
Sponsor presentations
Research proposals
The role also involves attending professional conferences and maintaining awareness of developments in relevant scientific fields.
Funding and proposal development
The Postdoctoral Fellow will assist with:
Identifying funding opportunities.
Acquiring funding from public, private and government sources.
Developing new research proposals.
Writing proposals and scientific papers.
Preparing materials designed to attract research funding.
Project and laboratory management
Additional duties include:
Maintaining detailed research records.
Overseeing research facilities.
Supervising research personnel.
Ensuring compliance with research protocols and safety requirements.
Directing undergraduate and graduate researchers.
Maintaining laboratory equipment.
Keeping accurate inventories.
Monitoring appropriate use and condition of research equipment.
Research Sponsors and Partners
The projects associated with this position may involve major US government agencies, including:
USDA Forest Service (USFS)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
US Geological Survey (USGS)
US National Park Service (NPS)
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
This provides the position with an applied research orientation and potential exposure to research addressing real-world natural-resource management challenges.
Required Qualifications
The primary academic requirement is:
PhD in Natural Resources Management or a related field.
Candidates may also be permitted to begin employment before formal degree confirmation if they provide a letter from their university certifying that all degree requirements have been completed.
Preferred Professional Qualifications
WVU identifies several areas of expertise that would strengthen an application.
Social science research
Experience conducting social-science surveys and data analysis is desired.
This could be particularly relevant for candidates with experience in:
Environmental perception studies
Community surveys
Recreational research
Human dimensions of natural resources
Environmental behaviour
Water-quality perception studies
Statistical analysis
Candidates should have proficiency in multivariate analysis of complex statistical data.
This is an important requirement to highlight in an application because the position involves survey datasets and independent data analysis.
Research publication
Applicants should demonstrate the ability to:
Develop manuscripts
Publish in peer-reviewed journals
Work within established research timelines
Communicate research findings effectively
Experience publishing in high-impact journals is specifically desired.
Teaching
Experience teaching students in a higher-education setting, particularly relating to sustainable environmental services, is desirable.
Skills That Can Strengthen Your Application
A competitive candidate would ideally demonstrate a combination of:
Natural-resource research
Environmental science
Land reclamation
Water-resource research
Human-dimensions research
Survey design
Statistical analysis
Multivariate analysis
Field research
Laboratory research
Scientific writing
University-level teaching
Research proposal development
Student supervision
Application Requirements
Applicants should apply through the WVU Careers website.
The application should include:
Letter of interest
Current curriculum vitae
Names and complete contact information for three professional references
The reference information should include:
Mailing address
Telephone number
Email address
Application Link
WVU Careers – Career Opportunities
Application Deadline
There is no fixed closing date stated in the vacancy.
Instead:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
This is effectively a rolling recruitment process. Therefore, delaying the application is a bad strategy; the position could be filled before a later application is reviewed.
Salary and Funding
The vacancy text provided does not specify a salary or stipend amount.
Therefore, a specific salary figure should not be advertised unless it is confirmed through the official WVU vacancy or HR.
The position is a Postdoctoral Fellow appointment, but the supplied advertisement does not provide enough information to determine the exact compensation package.
Who Should Apply?
This position is potentially a strong fit for candidates with a PhD in Natural Resources Management or a closely related field and experience combining environmental research with quantitative or social-science methods.
It is especially relevant to researchers working on:
Natural-resource management
Environmental science
Land reclamation
Water resources
Human dimensions of environmental management
Environmental sociology
Recreational-resource management
Water-quality perception
Environmental survey research
Sustainable environmental services
Important fit consideration
This is not purely a conventional environmental laboratory postdoc.
The position has a substantial survey, human-dimensions, statistical-analysis, teaching and project-management component. Candidates whose experience is exclusively in areas such as soil microbiology, molecular biology or laboratory environmental chemistry may not be an obvious fit unless they can demonstrate relevant experience in survey research, natural-resource management or multivariate statistical analysis.
Why This Position Is Interesting
The position provides exposure to a broad range of applied environmental research and government-sponsored projects.
The combination of:
Natural resources + human dimensions + water quality + land reclamation + statistical analysis + teaching
makes it particularly relevant for researchers who want to develop an academic career combining environmental research with applied natural-resource management.
The potential involvement of agencies such as USGS, NOAA, USFS, NPS and USDA NIFA is another significant feature of the position.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the position?
It is a Postdoctoral Fellow position in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at West Virginia University.
2. What is the job ID?
The job identification number is 29940.
3. What PhD is required?
A PhD in Natural Resources Management or a related field is required.
4. Is social-science experience required?
It is not listed as an absolute requirement, but experience conducting social-science surveys and data analysis is desired.
5. Is statistical expertise important?
Yes. The advertisement specifically mentions proficiency in multivariate analyses of complex statistical data.
6. Does the position involve teaching?
Yes. The Postdoctoral Fellow will assist with course instruction, course development and grading.
7. Does the position involve fieldwork?
Yes. The responsibilities include laboratory and field experiments and survey-based research.
8. Can I apply if my PhD has been completed but the degree certificate is not yet available?
Potentially, yes. The advertisement states that the successful candidate may be permitted to begin employment before degree confirmation if they provide a university letter certifying completion of all degree requirements.
9. What documents are required?
Applicants need to submit:
Letter of interest
CV
Contact details for three professional references
10. What is the application deadline?
The position remains open until filled, and application review begins immediately.
11. What is the salary?
The supplied vacancy does not state a salary range. Applicants should verify compensation directly through WVU.
12. Where is the application submitted?
Applications are submitted through the WVU Careers website. Search for Job ID 29940.
13. Who can be contacted about the position?
General inquiries can be directed to Dr. Robert Burns at Robert.Burns@mail.wvu.edu.
14. Is this position suitable for an Environmental Science PhD?
It can be, provided the candidate's research and professional experience align with natural-resource management, environmental services, water/land-use research, survey research, statistics, or related areas. The specific fit should be demonstrated clearly in the application.
Final Takeaway
The West Virginia University Postdoctoral Fellow position (29940) is a broad, applied natural-resources research opportunity rather than a narrowly laboratory-focused postdoc. Its strongest candidates will combine a relevant PhD with survey research, multivariate statistics, environmental/natural-resource research, scientific publishing and teaching experience.
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