Postdoctoral Researcher
Berkeley Lab
Summary
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, seeks an innovative Postdoctoral Researcher to lead and coordinate research syntheses using AmeriFlux's extensive, long-term data holdings. Research areas may include water and energy balance, scaling and modeling, land–atmosphere interactions, and plant productivity and carbon fluxes. You will join the AmeriFlux Management Project, supporting a network of 700+ eddy covariance sites measuring carbon, water, and energy exchanges across the Americas.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Lead research syntheses using long-term AmeriFlux data to advance understanding of ecosystem–atmosphere interactions.
- Coordinate research synthesis activities, including workshops, webinars, working groups, and community events.
- Engage with AmeriFlux researchers and partners to identify research needs and priorities.
- Communicate findings through publications, presentations, reports, newsletters, and web content.
- Contribute to grant proposals and project progress reports.
- Collaborate with Berkeley Lab, FLUXNET, regional flux networks, and related research programs.
- Work with the AmeriFlux data team to develop and test data products, tools, workflows, and research support services.
Qualifications
- Recent Ph.D. in ecology, Earth science, environmental science, atmospheric science, data science, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience applying statistical, machine learning, or other data-driven methods to analyze large-scale scientific data.
- Experience working with large, complex datasets, such as environmental time series, remote sensing, or model output.
- Strong communication and organizational skills, including the ability to engage with diverse scientific audiences.
- A record of scientific productivity, demonstrated through publications or other research outputs.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary, distributed team.
Desired Skills/Knowledge
- Familiarity with flux networks (e.g., AmeriFlux, FLUXNET), or ecosystem carbon, water, and energy cycles.
- Experience with eddy covariance technique, measurements, and data processing and analyses.
- Proficiency in Python, R, or similar languages, and experience with reproducible research software practices (e.g., version control, open-source development).
- Experience in organizing workshops, seminars, or other scientific community activities.
- Interest in open and team science, data stewardship, and FAIR data principles.
Requirements
- Recent Ph.D. in ecology, Earth science, environmental science, atmospheric science, data science, or a related field
- Demonstrated experience applying statistical, machine learning, or other data-driven methods to analyze large-scale scientific data
- Experience working with large, complex datasets, such as environmental time series, remote sensing, or model output
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- A record of scientific productivity through publications or other research outputs
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary, distributed team
- Less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience
Benefits
- Comprehensive health benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- Retirement savings
- 24 days PTO
- Sick leave
- Paid holidays
- Postdoctoral Paid Family Leave
- Professional development
Company overview
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is a premier federally funded research and development center established in 1931 and managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy. With a distinguished history spanning over 90 years, Berkeley Lab has been awarded 17 Nobel Prizes and operates as a multidisciplinary research institution focused on discovery science and energy solutions. The laboratory's expertise encompasses six major research areas: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biosciences, Energy Sciences, and Energy Technologies. Berkeley Lab operates five national scientific user facilities including the Advanced Light Source, Joint Genome Institute, Molecular Foundry, National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), and Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), serving over 14,000 researchers annually. The institution is renowned for its team science approach, pioneering research in particle physics, materials science, genomics, and climate science, while maintaining a strong commitment to addressing global energy challenges and advancing fundamental scientific knowledge.