Virtual Animal Science Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Amarillo

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Bushland, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

• Texas A&M Forest Service

• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation's largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support research advancing nutrient management and air quality in livestock-crop production systems at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) at Bushland, TX. The successful candidate will develop and evaluate strategies that reduce nutrient losses from manure, assess fertilizer contributions of nearby feedyards to surrounding crop and forage production, and add value to abundant stocks of manure and agricultural biomass in the region. The postdoc will work closely with CPRL scientists and collaborators to conduct lab, pilot, and feedlotscale research to develop and evaluate approaches to reduce nutrient losses from manure and improve nutrient cycling in livestock-crop systems.

Responsibilities

• Complete data analysis for the ammonia-deposition project (ADAPT Phase I).

• Conduct ammonia emissions modeling for a local concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), and prepare results for publication.

• Collaborate with USDAARS workgroup contributing to enhancements of the USEPA CMAQ/STAGE model.

• Deploy an openpath laser-based monitoring system for continuous ammonia and methane measurements at a local CAFO.

• Initiate and lead data collection, processing, and interpretation to support peerreviewed publications.

• Participate in weekly research meetings (in person or virtual).

• Lead the preparation of manuscripts, research presentations, and USDAARS annual performance reports.

• Submit all resulting publications to the ARS Principal Investigator for inclusion in the USDAARS publication database.

• Ensure all research data comply with USDA Departmental Regulation 1020006 (Public Access to Scholarly Publications and Digital Scientific Research Data) and ARS P&P 630 (Data Management & Public Access Requirements).

Collaboration & Reporting
Under general supervision by the Professor and Center Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research - High Plains, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will work alongside USDA-ARS scientists, contribute to teambased research activities, and share handson insights gained from experimental work. Performance reviews, conducted annually in April-May, will be the responsibility of the Professor and Center Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research - High Plains in consultation with the Research Leader of the USDA-ARS Livestock and Nutrient Management Research Unit (LNMRU), who will provide day-to-day guidance on research activities. All publications will be entered into the USDAARS publication database to support research accountability and public dissemination.

Support Provided by USDAARS

Research materials and supplies
Laboratory and office space
Access to necessary facilities and resources following established protocols
Support for publishing results in peerreviewed journals

Required Qualifications

• Earned Ph. D. in Soil Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Atmospheric Science, or a closely related field.

• Strong background in nutrient management, air quality, emissions monitoring, or livestock waste systems.

• Experience with data analysis, modeling (e. g., ammonia emissions or air quality models), and statistical software (R, SAS, Python, etc.).

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent and collaborative field and laboratory research.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with a track record of scientific writing.

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and meet project deadlines.

• Valid Texas driver's license.

• Ability and willingness to work outdoors in varying and adverse weather conditions characteristic of the Texas High Plains.

Preferred Qualifications

• Earned Ph.D. in Soil Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Atmospheric Science, or a closely related field within the past three years.

• Experience with open-path laser-based gas monitoring systems or similar instrumentation.

• Knowledge of CAFO operations, manure management, or High Plains agricultural systems.

• Familiarity with air pollution dispersion models such as CMAQ or STAGE.

• Peer-reviewed publication record.

• Grant writing or project management experience.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate's qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose toworkfor Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leaveand at leasteight hours of paid vacation each month

• Automatic enrollment in theTeacher Retirement System of Texas

• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

The successful candidate must provide a CV, a list of three references, and answer all questions.Failure to provide this information could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.