Assistant/Associate Specialist

The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley, seeks applications for an Assistant/Associate Specialist in the Shive Lab, in the area of fuels and fire ecology.

Dr. Kristen Shive (PI), is an Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist with the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management (ESPM) within the Rausser College of Natural Resources (RCNR) at the University of California, Berkeley.

In line with the goals of the UC Cooperative Extension program, the Shive Lab seeks to answer research questions that can directly support forest managers and private citizens in adapting to increasing wildfire activity in forested ecosystems. To ensure our work is relevant to forest management, our research questions are developed in cooperation with forest managers, policy makers, and other scientists, and we use a combination of robust, quantitative field studies and spatial analyses to address them. We also extend our research to practitioners in the form of research briefs, reports, and workshops. At present, we work in the giant sequoia and mixed conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada, as well as coast redwood forests, addressing questions around fuel accumulation, forest recovery, and reforestation.

This position will coordinate and implement field and lab work, manage and analyze data, and contribute to publications in support of active research projects.

Specific responsibilities include:

• In collaboration with the PI, finalizes study designs for field data collection projects focused on forest and fuels inventories. Coordinate fieldwork by training field crews and managing field crew data collection. Coordinates the field collection of field samples, such as woody fuel particles, for lab processing.
• Leads the management and processing of field samples and associated data. Assists with the management and analysis of forest science data. This assistance will entail data entry, development of database descriptions, quality control and quality assurance checks, and statistical analysis of key metrics.
• Generates progress reports as needed at quarterly intervals for the relevant projects. Reporting includes tracking the status of deliverables and tasks, and a summary of progress in the format required by the sponsor.
• Contribute to the planning, analysis, and writing of peer-reviewed manuscripts and final reports. These contributions may include the drafting of figures and tables, the analysis of data, editing and proofreading text, and the compilation of references.
• Assists with the development of deliverables tied to Extension projects that are focused on science delivery to practitioners, which can include contributing to the creation of Fact Sheets, Research Briefs, and workshops.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent international degree.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s Degree in ecology, ecosystem science, forestry, geography, plant sciences, or a related field.
• Three years of post-baccalaureate research experience, preferably in forest ecosystem management and/or science.
• Strong R programing and GIS skills.
• Robust experience in project management and implementing forest inventory fieldwork.