Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Nebraska Medical Center • Omaha, NE

23h

About The Position

The Water, Climate, and Health Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center ( UNMC ) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual interested in joining our interdisciplinary team to explore the impacts of climate on human health. The successful candidate will work on innovative research and engagement projects that explore the connections between climate and health. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers from various academic institutions and governmental agencies, including the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as well as national and international partners. In addition to helping with climate and health studies funded by NOAA , CDC , and NASA , the postdoctoral researcher will have an opportunity to participate in the newly formed NIST Climate Measurements Center of Excellence. They will assist with leading sectoral working groups to conduct formal gap analyses, solicit input from stakeholder groups, and lead the development of new methodologies for climate impact measurement. The project will focus on refining and standardizing metrics that span economic, social, and ecological system. Our objective is to ensure that assessments at the state and subnational levels are robust, transdisciplinary, and capable of informing local and regional decision-making. This includes building capacity among stakeholders to apply the tools and methods developed and contributing to the establishment of national standards for climate risk and adaptation metrics.

Requirements

• PhD in a relevant field such as climatology, environmental science, data science, public health, or a closely related discipline.
• Background in data analysis, integration of interdisciplinary datasets, and climate metrics development, is preferred.
• Experience in climate impact assessment, particularly in the health sector, is preferred.
• Knowledge of statistical methods, programming (e.g., Python, R), and data quality assurance techniques.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment and engage with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong communication skills, with experience presenting research at conferences and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Interest in transdisciplinary research that bridges the gap between scientific methods and real-world decision-making processes.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with state or subnational climate assessment processes.
• Experience with social and biophysical datasets
• Ability to contribute to capacity-building efforts for non-experts, including the development of training materials and resources.

Responsibilities

• Lead and assist with climate and health studies.
• Conduct gap analyses within the health sectors to identify measurement needs and missing information critical for climate assessments.
• Develop and refine metrics for climate impacts and adaptation strategies, ensuring that these methods are standardized across different sectors and states.
• Support capacity-building efforts by developing resources and training for stakeholder groups to apply climate impact tools and methods effectively.
• Disseminate research findings through conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and engagement with expert communities.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure a holistic approach to climate impact analysis and the development of standardized methods for local and national application.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees