Description
The food systems research team at the University of Washington, housed primarily within the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar to conduct research and outreach as part of a competitively funded project focused on complexity and tradeoffs in animal agriculture sustainability, and on building awareness and trust between producers and consumers.
The successful candidate will join a multi-investigator, interdisciplinary team seeking to understand and address mismatches in producer/consumer understanding and decision-making around environmental impact and animal welfare in beef, pork, and poultry (broiler) production. The Postdoctoral Scholar will work closely with other project investigators both at the University of Washington and with partner institutions (the University of Minnesota, Washington State University, and the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute) to design and implement multiple research projects including those focused on better understanding the producer decision space, assessing existing research on consumer decision-making, and exploring the impact of education tailored to address identified mismatches in producer and consumer perceptions. Research methods will include key informant interviews, Q sort, qualitative systems mapping, scoping review, and deliberative polling. The Postdoctoral Scholar will also contribute to development and analysis of a project-associated curriculum, and to preparation and presentation of project outreach materials via peer-reviewed publications, academic and industry meetings, Extension activities, and policy workshop(s).
This position requires strong skills in qualitative data collection and analysis and will afford an opportunity to build interdisciplinary collaborations spanning research, education and outreach. An outstanding candidate will be well-prepared to take initiative and to work in a self-directed manner within a fast-paced and disciplinarily diverse team environment. Stakeholder engagement throughout the project will be key, so the ability to listen, learn, and communicate with practitioners across all scales of animal agriculture production and the value chain is critical.
The position is based at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Working in-person in Seattle is preferred, though a fully remote appointment could be considered. Periodic travel within Washington State and around the U.S. to carry out research and participate in meetings will be required. The position is for a one-year term, with reappointment to a second, full year term contingent upon satisfactory performance. The desired start date is summer 2022. Salary is commensurate with experience.
Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply.
The UW School of Public Health is committed to a diverse academic community. We view diversity, equity and inclusion as essential to our mission, and we welcome applications from faculty who have demonstrated research, training and service experience in this area. For more information, please see the following website: http://sph.washington.edu/diversity/.
Required Qualifications:
- PhD or foreign equivalent in Social Science, Agricultural Science, Animal Science, Food Systems, Sustainability, or a related discipline.
- Experience conducting qualitative social science research.
- Experience with manuscript preparation.
- Ability to work independently as well as within an interdisciplinary team.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience or demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary research.
- Experience or demonstrated interest in stakeholder engagement.
- Experience or demonstrated interest in literature review.
- Experience or demonstrated interest in course development and/or delivery.
- Experience or demonstrated interest in animal agriculture and sustainability.
Application Instructions
Submit your application via Interfolio apply.interfolio.com/105378 including:
- A cover letter highlighting how your past experience and future career goals align with this position.
- A curriculum vitae including a list of all peer reviewed publications, trade publications, and scientific presentations.
- Names and contact information for three references.
Position will remain open until filled. For questions about this position contact Dr. Sarah Collier ([email protected])
Apply: