Postdoctoral Research Associate - Natural Resource Analysis Center - School of Natural Resources and the Environment

The School of Natural Resources and the Environment in the Land Use, Sustainability, and Spatial Analysis at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate.  

The Natural Resource Analysis Center (NRAC) at West Virginia University seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support interdisciplinary research focused on land-use change, sustainable agriculture, land management, spatial analysis, regional development, and environmental sustainability. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with NRAC faculty, staff, graduate students, government agencies, and external partners to advance research addressing natural resource challenges in West Virginia, the Appalachian region, and beyond.

This position is designed to leverage expertise in land-use science, land economics, agricultural sustainability, environmental policy, and geospatial analysis. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will contribute to ongoing projects involving land-use and land-cover change, rural development, farmland conservation, carbon sequestration and emissions, land governance, natural resource planning, and sustainability assessment. The position will also assist in developing externally funded research proposals and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Conduct interdisciplinary research related to land-use change, agricultural sustainability, natural resource management, and regional development.
• Apply GIS, spatial analysis, and statistical methods to evaluate environmental and socioeconomic drivers of landscape change.
• Assist in developing externally funded research proposals to federal agencies, foundations, and other funding organizations.
• Publish research findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
• Collaborate with NRAC faculty and external partners on applied natural resource projects.
• Develop and manage large spatial, environmental, and socioeconomic datasets.
• Support research initiatives related to land conservation, farmland abandonment, carbon management, rural revitalization, and sustainable development.
• Assist with outreach and engagement activities involving state and federal agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students engaged in research projects.
• Participate in interdisciplinary research teams across WVU and collaborating institutions.