Postdoc Research Associate

Baylor University • Waco, TX

7h • Onsite

About The Position

Baylor University seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join an NSF-funded project examining how feeding morphology and functional performance shape macroevolutionary and macroecological patterns in echinoids (sea urchins). This 18-month position will focus on components of the project that characterize the paleoecological and biogeographic distribution of both fossil and extant echinoids, with a focus on different feeding modes, and evaluate how these distributions inform broader evolutionary dynamics within the clade.

This position is based at Baylor University in Waco, Texas USA. The postdoctoral associate will work closely with Dr. Elizabeth Petsios and the Baylor Invertebrate Paleontology Lab, as well as a larger collaborative international team including evolutionary biologists and paleontologists.

The ideal candidate will possess strong quantitative skills, including expertise in statistics, programming, spatial and ecological analyses, and paleobiological/biological databases (PaleobioDB, GBIF, etc.). They should also demonstrate a strong capacity for collaboration and mentorship. Prior experience with echinoid biology is NOT expected.

A Doctoral degree is required.

The NSF-funded project “Unlocking New Horizons – How Feeding Morphology and Performance Impacts Adaptive Expansion in Deep Time”, seeks to examine how variation in echinoid feeding morphology relates to ecological diversification and niche occupation across deep time. By integrating morphological data, functional performance metrics, environmental distributions, and phylogenetic frameworks, the project aims to test whether adaptive performance drives macroevolutionary patterns of diversification and ecological expansion. The selected candidate will contribute to the component of the project focused on establishing the ecological and geospatial context for previously developed morpho-functional patterns, synthesizing these data to reveal broader trends in echinoid niche evolution.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in paleobiology, ecology, evolutionary biology, geosciences, or related field (by start date)
• Demonstrated experience with large ecological or paleobiological datasets
• Strong quantitative skills, particularly in R or similar programming environments

Nice To Haves

• Experience with spatial data, macroecological analyses, or database integration
• Experience working with biodiversity databases (e.g., PBDB, GBIF, OBIS)
• Experience integrating ecological and evolutionary datasets across time scales

Responsibilities

• Compile and curate a comprehensive global database of echinoid occurrences (modern and fossil)
• Combine morphology, functional performance (e.g., FEA outputs), and ecological data within a phylogenetic comparative framework and contribute to broader data synthesis. This includes synthesizing results into multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts
• Contribute to research mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students
• Contribute to science outreach efforts within the lab, department, and more broadly within the community
• Perform all other duties as assigned to support Baylor’s mission
• Ability to comply with university policies
• Maintain regular and punctual attendance

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• generous time off
• tuition remission
• outstanding automatic retirement contributions

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees