Irvine, CA

Position Title: Postdoctoral Scholar in Climate Science & Environmental Justice

Organization: University of California, Irvine

Location: Irvine, CA

Organization Overview: UCI’s CLIMATE Justice Initiative aims to culturally transform the geosciences through multidirectional programming that brings on-the ground challenges of environmental justice and sustainability into the heart of geoscience research and education. The specific project objectives are to: 1) Train and empower postbaccalaureate and PhD students from historically marginalized communities to pursue graduate education and careers related to climate change, 2) Increase participation of scientists from traditional STEM disciplines in environmental justice and community-engaged research, 3) Build strong cross-disciplinary collaborations between geoscientists and experts from other fields, such as social science, 4) Develop equitable partnerships with community-based organizations, and 5) Transform the culture of geoscience by building a learning ecosystem that spans traditional institutional, disciplinary, and hierarchical boundaries. The project is funded through the US National Science Foundation’s Cultural Transformations in the Geoscience Community program.

The Department of Earth System Science (ESS), founded in 1995, is the first US university department dedicated to understanding the Earth as a coupled system. Current departmental research focuses on environmental and climate science, including biogeochemistry of the land, ocean and atmosphere; climate dynamics; atmospheric science; ecosystems; glaciology and cryosphere science; and human systems. The ESS mission is to contribute through research and teaching to a fundamental scientific understanding of the Earth as a coupled system, to train the next generation of Earth scientists, and to inform and educate policy makers and the public-at-large. They envision a society that understands the impact of human activities on the global environment and the interactions within the Earth system that preserve the habitability of the planet. Inclusive Excellence is a core value of the Department of Earth System Science and they aim to foster a positive, inclusive, and healthy climate for all of their departmental members.

The Research Justice Shop (RJS), co-founded in 2018 and housed in the Newkirk Center for Science & Society, seeks to transform research practices to be more inclusive by facilitating equitable collaboration between the university and the communities most impacted by collective social and environmental problems. As such, the RJS contributes to UC Irvine’s aspiration to be a Minority Thriving Institution, a great partner to Orange County’s diverse communities, and at the forefront of interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research. RJS trains individuals and organizations in research justice and community-based research methods; they consult on and implement community engagement strategies and conduct research projects that use community-based research methods such as participatory action research and photovoice; they also study community-campus partnerships and the pedagogy of engaged scholarship.

Position Overview:  The University of California, Irvine is seeking a creative and motivated postdoctoral scholar with interest and expertise in climate science, geoscience education, environmental justice, and/or community-engaged research. The postdoc will help co-develop and implement course curricula, workshops, and community-engaged research projects as UCI seeks to develop a Cultural, Learning, and Institutional Model to Accelerate Transformations for Environmental Justice (CLIMATE Justice). The postdoc will be expected to work across disciplines and with community partners to address local and regional issues related to climate and environmental change, to help train and mentor diverse cohorts of PhD and postbaccaulaureate CLIMATE Justice fellows, and to communicate results in peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and public-facing venues.

Qualifications:

• An expected or recent Ph.D. in the geosciences or related fields (e.g. environmental science, climate science, physical geography, atmospheric science, oceanography, meteorology, hydrology)
• Experience with basic or applied research related to climate and global change (broadly defined), including Earth system observation and/or modeling, and investigation of climate impacts and solutions and/or environmental pollution through field, laboratory and/or data/model based studies.
• Experience and/or familiarity with environmental justice issues.
• Experience with teaching and/or mentoring students from historically marginalized communities.
• Detail oriented with strong organizational and communication skills.

Start/End Dates: Flexible, Spring. 2 to 3 year appointment

Salary/Pay: $60,000 – $72,000

Application Deadline: Next review date: April 10, applications accepted until May 31

How to Apply: Please use the online application to view the full job description as well as how to apply.