Postdoctoral Associate - Earth Environmental Planetary Sciences at Rice University in Houston, Texas

Job Description:

Pan Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University

Position Summary

The department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences seeks candidates with independent research interests that intersect with one or more faculty within our department and who contribute positively to the department's diversity through outreach or other means. Both domestic and international applicants are welcome. By the time of their start date at Rice, candidates must have received their Ph.D. degree and be within the first three years of degree conferral.

The research fellowship will be supported for two years, pending satisfactory progress during the first year, and includes an annual stipend of $62,000 with a benefits package, an annual discretionary research allowance of $3,500, and an allowance for reasonable relocation expenses. Applicants are requested to develop a proposal for research to be undertaken during the fellowship period. The principal selection criteria are scientific excellence, the applicant's record of research productivity, a clearly expressed research plan to address questions at the forefront of their field of study, research synergies with at least one faculty, and a commitment to fostering diversity. The proposed research should encompass independent research ideas and explore new directions beyond the applicant's Ph.D. Preference will be given to applicants whose proposals demonstrate independence and originality and the potential for collaboration with one or more faculty in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. The application should constitute:

(1) A current CV, including a list of publications; (2) A brief synopsis of the applicant's doctoral dissertation (no longer than one page); (3) A brief diversity statement that explains the applicant's interest in, experience with, and/or planned commitment to addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (no longer than one page) (see guidelines here); (4) A concise research proposal (no longer than three pages, including figures, excluding references) describing the applicant's research interests, specifically the research that the applicant would like to pursue at Rice; (5) The names of potential Rice faculty who could serve as postdoctoral mentors.

All five documents should be submitted as a single PDF file to the fellowship search committee ( esci-postdoc@rice.edu ) by November 1, 2024. In addition, letters of reference should be submitted by two referees to the same email address and by the same deadline. The highest ranked applicants will be invited for an interview. Following acceptance, the appointment may begin any time before January 1, 2026. For further information or questions, contact the search committee at esci-postdoc@rice.edu .

Essential Functions

• Documents, analyzes, and maintains research data in the field of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
• Assists with proposal development to obtain research funding
• Mentors, oversees, and/or trains junior research team members
• Publishes and presents research findings
• Supports project management and collaboration across institutions or disciplines
• Designs and implements research protocols; adapts new procedures, methods or instrumentation relative to research procedures
• Provides academic services to the department (i.e., teaches a course)
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences or related field

Required Skills

• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as oral presentation skills
• Organization and time management skills
• Knowledge of modern research methods, data collection, and analyses
• Ability to write scholarly papers based on ongoing research in order to submit them to journals for publication
• Able to work in a collaborative environment
• Able to work independently and professionally with minimal supervision and direction

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity at all levels. It considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

About Us

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

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