Postdoctoral Scholar in Watershed Resilience

The Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Watershed Resilience. This postdoc will work with partners at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Point Conception Institute (PCI), and NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NOAA) to design and implement a research and restoration plan for the Jalama Creek watershed, within TNC’s Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve. The Dangermond Preserve protects a unique stretch of wild California coastline at Point Conception, a hotspot for native California biodiversity. The postdoc will help design and implement a freshwater science and watershed restoration plan for Jalama Creek that includes the removal of several dams and the restoration of endangered Southern California steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). This project will create a framework for undertaking integrated watershed science and restoration projects in California and beyond. The postdoc will be co-mentored by Dr. Eric Palkovacs (UCSC), Dr. Walter Heady (TNC, PCI), and Dr. John Carlos Garza (NOAA, UCSC).

The Postdoctoral Scholar will bring expertise in freshwater and fisheries ecology. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in stream ecology, watershed and fisheries restoration, undergraduate mentoring, and science communication. The selected candidate will work closely with partners in academia, federal and state agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

Specific tasks may include:

• Designing a scientific monitoring protocol for the watershed 
• Working with partners and stakeholders to design and implement restoration plans
• Designing studies to use restoration actions as management experiments
• Leading field and lab work to collect data on abiotic and biotic stream variables
• Analyzing data and interpreting results
• Mentoring undergraduate research assistants
• Communicating science through peer-reviewed publications and professional talks
• Conducting outreach to the public through talks, workshops, and other outlets  

Link to PDF of complete job ad: https://palkovacs.eeb.ucsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Postdoctoral-Scholar-in-Watershed-Resilience.pdf