Post Doctoral Research Associate

Job Title: Post Doctoral Research Associate - Conservation Scientist

About the Role

The Postdoctoral Researcher will lead work blending human dimensions and quantitative wildlife disease research related to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Massachusetts. This role involves analyzing existing surveys, designing and facilitating interagency exercises, and co-designing communication materials. There are also opportunities to contribute to quantitative analysis of wildlife disease arrival and spread.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze three existing statewide CWD stakeholder surveys to quantify knowledge, attitudes, and regulation-relevant behaviors, and identify hunter subpopulations at highest risk of importing CWD.
• Help design and co-facilitate an in-person, multi-agency tabletop exercise to simulate CWD detection scenarios and test the state's reactive response.
• Translate tabletop exercise results into a revised reactive-response section of the state CWD response plan and a positive-detection decision tree.
• Co-design pre-positioned communication materials with state agency outreach and education staff, using data from existing surveys.
• Lead and co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts.
• Write research reports.
• Prepare code and data for release.
• Work collaboratively with a large team of professionals.

Other Functions (Optional, based on candidate interests, time, and skills)

• Update and extend existing decision models to identify effective management actions under alternative CWD arrival modes.
• Contribute to quantitative modeling of CWD spread and time-to-arrival in the Northeast, in collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vermont.
• Develop and analyze a One Health survey for state agencies related to communication, jurisdiction, and workflows.
• Develop materials and templates that other CWD-negative states in the region can adapt.
• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, equality, and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• PhD in human dimensions of natural resources, conservation social science, ecology, conservation, epidemiology, wildlife science, or other related field.
• Experience with quantitative analysis in R.
• Evidence of scientific writing (e.g., published or submitted peer-reviewed manuscripts or technical reports).
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with agency partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Designing or analyzing surveys of human knowledge, attitudes, or behavior.
• Facilitating workshops, structured decision-making processes, or tabletop exercises.
• Familiarity with wildlife disease, wildlife health, or wildlife management.
• Experience with quantitative modeling (e.g., Bayesian methods, decision analysis, spatial and epidemiological modeling).
• Experience working with or within state or federal natural resource agencies.
• Experience with reproducible workflows and version control (Git).

Work Arrangement

• This is an in-person position at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Amherst, MA. Fully remote arrangements are not available.
• Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
• Work is performed in a standard office or indoor university environment.
• Minimal physical exertion involved.
• Some travel within Massachusetts and the Northeast is expected.