Biogeochemistry Postdoc
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) Climate & Ecosystems Division has an opening for a Biogeochemistry Postdoc to join the team.
The Belowground Biogeochemistry Scientific Focus Area in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division seeks a postdoc to research the effect of soil warming on belowground carbon cycling in a conifer forest. They will focus on the response of plant roots, mycorrhizae, and soil organic matter cycling at the long term, whole-soil warming experiment at Blodgett Forest. You will join an interdisciplinary team working on the biogeochemical, microbial, mineral, and plant interactions and responses to warming, with empirical and modeling approaches.
This position is primarily empirical, with significant field and lab work. You will help define their specific project and contributions, depending on their experience and interest. There is potential to use different soil respiration measurement systems, stable isotope and 14C techniques, apparent respiratory quotient, imaging and molecular analyses of mycorrhizae, as well as other biogeochemical approaches using laboratories and user facilities at Berkeley Lab and nearby. Secondarily, they may also participate in the new warming experiment being developed at a grassland ecosystem at Point Reyes. The Blodgett Forest is situated at mid-elevation in the beautiful Sierra Nevada in California. Investigating wildfire is another potential research avenue for the future of this project so applicants with interest in wildfire would be welcome.
What You Will Do:
- Study the effect of soil warming on soil carbon cycling, with extensive field and lab measurements centered on the Blodgett Forest warming experiment
- Study the effect of soil warming on conifer root processes, including:
- Test approach and measure root respiration measurements in situ
- Measure root growth, partitioning of heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration using collars, and plant leaf and needle stoichiometry
- Help maintain the Blodgett Forest warming experiment, including the automated soil-respiration systems, dataloggers, and other instruments and infrastructure.
- Develop relevant scientific hypotheses and concepts from the experiment; publish interesting peer-reviewed publications; and give scientific presentations
- Contribute to project discussion, presentations and proposals
- Work with members of the broader project (SFA) team to carry out and coordinate field work and experiments, and collect soil, plant, and gas samples
- Create and disseminate documentation for methods and procedures developed or applied in this appointment
- Manage data generated by the postdoc to share with the project team and for public access following existing guidelines
Additional Responsibilities as needed:
- Contribute to Point Reyes warming experiment
- Help develop new experiment that combines warming and wildfire
- Soil carbon fractionation and analysis
- Help measure mycorrhizal infection of roots
- Contribute to modeling of soil carbon cycling, at the experimental site or synthesizing across warming experiments worldwide
- Participation in postdoctoral career and science enrichment activities is encouraged
- Actively participate in Berkeley Lab’s safety culture
What is Required:
- A Ph.D. in biogeochemistry, ecosystem ecology, Earth sciences or related field
- Demonstrated ability to publish research in relevant peer-reviewed journals
- Ability to work independently and in an integrated team environment
- Experience conducting field measurements of biogeochemical cycling, and in particular soil carbon cycling, for example measuring soil respiration and root respiration, and collecting soil gas for CO2 determination.
- Experience conducting laboratory analysis to understand soil carbon and nitrogen cycling
- Proficiency in statistical analysis of biogeochemical data
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience with manipulative experiments
- Demonstrated familiarity with climate change experiments
- Experience working in forest ecosystems
- Demonstrated ability to give effective presentations
- Demonstrated ability and flexibility to organize complex fieldwork tasks and schedules
- Ability to prepare data for publicly accessible repository
The position will remain open until filled. However, for full consideration, please apply by November 30, 2022 with the following application materials:
- Cover Letter - Describe your interest in this position and the relevance of your background in 1-2 pages.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Name and contact details for 2-3 references
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Notes:
- This is a full-time, 1 year, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 4 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
- Salary will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates.
- This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
- Work will be primarily performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA.
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