IGERT PhD Traineeships, "Water in the Urban Environment"
Highly competitive traineehips are available at UMBC across participating PhD degree programs, sponsored by NSF's "Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training" (IGERT) program. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
Applications are due February 1, 2009, for Fall 2009 matriculation.
See http://www.umbc.edu/cuere/igert for details.

Forest Biometeorologist (Eddy Covariance)
The purpose of the work is to perform urban ecosystem research on carbon, water and energy exchange in an urban setting. The position is targeted for an enthusiastic, experienced post doctoral candidate with eddy covariance expertise. The person will perform analysis on existing data sets on carbon dioxide concentration, and carbon, water and energy flux. They will operate and maintain an eddy flux tower in the Baltimore area, a CO2 concentration profile system, as well as maintain the data streams from air pollution and meteorological equipment. They will work as part of a research team in cooperation with CUERE, the US Forest Service (USFS) Urban Forest Research Program, the USFS Northern Global Change Program, and the Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER, which will include participation in urban to rural gradients studies, air pollution monitoring at intensive sites, and biometric measurements associated with these sites. They will be a key person in determining the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide in a dynamic urban/suburban ecosystem.

The major duties include analysis of existing data sets, custom analysis to determine the role of urban forests in sequestering carbon, summarizing data, prepare scientific reports, and publication of results in collaboration with the research team. Tasks will include installing, maintaining, and calibration of sensors and analyzers and gas handling systems associated with air pollution sampling, the CO2 profile, and the eddy covariance systems. The duties will require demonstrated experience in programming custom data acquisition programs, including dataloggers, remote communications, use of automated gas handling systems, and photosynthesis and soil respiration systems. The work involved is arduous, requires travel, expeditionary work, involving climbing towers, setting up mobile towers, and working long hours in remote locations for long durations with minimum support to insure continuous, high quality measurements.

Term of the position is for an initial appointment of 2 years, with a possible extension of one to two years. This is a full time position with benefits – 45K/yr. The requirements are a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences, forestry, urban ecosystems, biometeorology, or related fields and demonstrated investigator experience with eddy flux techniques on tall towers in forested and/or urban ecosystems. The candidate should have a strong publication record and strong personal communications skills. The position requires sound quantitative and statistical skills, as well as electronics and mechanical abilities. The desired candidate would be self motivated, independent, and be willing to work as part of a larger research team.

Please include a letter of application, CV or resume, transcripts and the names, email, phone numbers of three professional references. In your letter of application, include your experience, training, and professional goals. Application materials can be sent to: Ian Yesilonis, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, 1000 Hilltop Circle, TRC 102, Baltimore, MD 21250; or emailed to iyesil1@umbc.edu. UMBC is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.