Postdoctoral Research Associate - Natural Resource Analysis Center - School of Natural Resources and the Environment

West Virginia University • West Virginia, WV

12d

About The Position

The School of Natural Resources and the Environment in the Land Use, Sustainability, and Spatial Analysis at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The Natural Resource Analysis Center (NRAC) at West Virginia University seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support interdisciplinary research focused on land-use change, sustainable agriculture, land management, spatial analysis, regional development, and environmental sustainability. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with NRAC faculty, staff, graduate students, government agencies, and external partners to advance research addressing natural resource challenges in West Virginia, the Appalachian region, and beyond. This position is designed to leverage expertise in land-use science, land economics, agricultural sustainability, environmental policy, and geospatial analysis. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will contribute to ongoing projects involving land-use and land-cover change, rural development, farmland conservation, carbon sequestration and emissions, land governance, natural resource planning, and sustainability assessment. The position will also assist in developing externally funded research proposals and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.

Requirements

• A Ph.D. in Land Management, Natural Resource Management, Geography, Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Regional Planning, Sustainability Science, or a closely related field is required.
• Demonstrated research experience in land-use and land-cover change, land management, agricultural sustainability, resource economics, or related areas.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Experience with GIS and spatial analysis software (e.g., ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, R, Python).
• Record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within interdisciplinary research teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience conducting spatial analyses of environmental and socioeconomic systems.
• Expertise in land economics, land governance, cadastral systems, policy analysis, or regional development.
• Experience working with large geospatial and survey datasets.
• Knowledge of sustainability assessment, carbon accounting, or agricultural resource management.
• Experience securing or supporting externally funded research projects.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor students and collaborate across disciplines.
• International research experience or collaborative research networks.

Responsibilities

• Conduct interdisciplinary research related to land-use change, agricultural sustainability, natural resource management, and regional development.
• Apply GIS, spatial analysis, and statistical methods to evaluate environmental and socioeconomic drivers of landscape change.
• Assist in developing externally funded research proposals to federal agencies, foundations, and other funding organizations.
• Publish research findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
• Collaborate with NRAC faculty and external partners on applied natural resource projects.
• Develop and manage large spatial, environmental, and socioeconomic datasets.
• Support research initiatives related to land conservation, farmland abandonment, carbon management, rural revitalization, and sustainable development.
• Assist with outreach and engagement activities involving state and federal agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students engaged in research projects.
• Participate in interdisciplinary research teams across WVU and collaborating institutions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree