Planetary Health Postdoctoral Fellow

The Lauterbur, Nunez, and Pespeni research groups in the Department
of Biology at the University of Vermont (UVM), invite applications for
the inaugural cohort of the prestigious Planetary Health Postdoctoral
Fellowship. This full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month postdoctoral position
offers a unique opportunity to join a growing cohort of fellows as part
of UVM's Planetary Health Initiative - to explore the interdependence of
human well-being and the health of the environment. This is a one-year
position with the possibility of a second year, contingent on successful
performance. The program emphasizes collaborative and interdisciplinary
research, leveraging the strengths of the Lauterbur, Nunez, and Pespeni
labs.

The Planetary Health Postdoctoral Fellow will conduct innovative
research focused on modeling evolutionary and ecological infectious
disease dynamics within the broader context of Planetary Health. Specific
areas of interest include, but are not limited to: (i) The intersection
of ecosystem dynamics, host and/or pathogen evolution, and predictive
modeling, (ii) Integrating questions across biological scales, such as
eco-epidemiology and host-pathogen coevolution, which may make use of
existing datasets and resources from UVM research groups. Existing data
sets include reference and population resequencing bat genomes and sea
star genomes, transcriptomes, and microbiomes. Research projects may
align with the programs of one or more of the mentors (Lauterbur, Nunez,
and Pespeni) or focus on a system proposed by the Fellow. In addition
to research, the fellow will develop and teach one seminar-style course
on a topic and at a level of their choosing with the support of a chosen
mentor, allowing for flexibility to align teaching with their expertise
and interests.

As part of an expanding cohort of fellows, the successful applicant
will benefit from collaboration with peers and engagement in a vibrant
academic community. The Vermont Advanced Computing Center (VACC) at
UVM supports large-scale computation and high-throughput AI and machine
learning workflows. The Department of Biology at UVM is home to nationally
recognized and award-winning faculty, offering a supportive environment
for interdisciplinary research and professional growth. Applicants
who contribute to UVM's strategic priorities of the planetary
health initiative (https://www.uvm.edu/planetaryhealthinitiative),
as well as UVM's "Our Common Ground" principles
(https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground), are strongly encouraged
to apply.

Minimum Qualifications: The successful candidate should: Hold a
Ph.D. degree in biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, computer
science, physics, or another relevant field; Candidates up to 5 years
post Ph.D. will be considered;

Preferred Qualifications: Some postdoc experience in a relevant field
is preferred.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will assume a range of
responsibilities that include: Maintaining an active research portfolio
focused on infectious disease modeling and planetary health, utilizing
existing datasets from Dr. Pespeni, Dr. Nunez, and/or Dr. Lauterbur, or
developing their own research initiatives; Developing and teaching one
course at a level and on a topic of their choosing; Publishing research
findings in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the advancement of
knowledge in the field; Presenting research findings at conferences,
meetings of scholarly societies, and professional associations relevant
to their research goals.

Training opportunities: The successful candidate will receive training on:
Making progress towards securing external funding to support ongoing and
future research endeavors; Strategies for achieving success in teaching
endeavors while maintaining a highly active research portfolio; Building
and maintaining interdisciplinary collaborations across the university.

The fellow will be part of a growing cohort and will have access to a
network of support across the program.

Compensation:
This is a fully benefited position with a minimum salary of $61,000 during
the fellowship period, and determined based on experience. In addition,
fellows will receive minimum $5,000 annually for travel expenses and
professional development activities.

Application requirements: A cover letter that summarizes your research
experience and goals, including addressing UVM's Our Common
Ground values (https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground);
Your CV; A statement of research describing how your research
experience and skills will contribute to Planetary Health research
(https://www.uvm.edu/planetaryhealthinitiative) at the intersection of
evolutionary biology and ecology of infectious disease, especially how you
might benefit from and contribute to one or more of the mentoring labs;
A one page statement summarizing the candidate's teaching philosophy,
including any intersection with UVM's Our Common Ground values; One
to three representative publications or preprints (if available).

Send applications in a single pdf, with statements in the above
order, by email to joaquin.nunez@uvm.edu, elise.lauterbur@uvm.edu, and
melissa.pespeni@uvm.edu. Please use the subject line: Planetary Health
Postdoctoral Fellowship Application. Three letters of recommendation
will be requested for a short list of finalists.

Research Profiles of the Mentors:
Lauterbur: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology/profile/m-elise-lauterbur
Nunez: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology/profile/joaquin-nunez
Pespeni: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology/profile/melissa-pespeni

The University
Established in 1791, the University of Vermont is considered a public-ivy
and consistently ranked as one of the top public universities in
the United States. Our academic programs combine faculty-student
relationships most commonly found in a small liberal arts college with
the resources of a land-grant research institution. UVM's tradition
of equity and social justice extends not only to faculty, staff, and
students, but is also reflected in a commitment to environmentally
sound and sustainable practices and Our Common Ground values
(https://www.uvm.edu/president/our-common-ground).

The College
The Department of Biology is situated within the College of Arts
and Sciences (CAS). In CAS, students experience the connectedness and
accessibility of a small liberal arts college within a high caliber public
research institution. Whether students are pursuing the Fine Arts, the
Humanities, Natural Science and Mathematics or Social Sciences, they have
a place here, in the College of Arts and Sciences' academic ecosystem.

The Department
The UVM Biology Department is a broad, basic science department whose
faculty members' research spans a range of core disciplines including
biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, neuroscience, as well as ecology
and evolution. The Department of Biology is composed of award-winning
faculty, stimulating coursework, and inspired students who are training
to answer some of our world's biggest questions. We know that hands-on
experience is the key to learning, so our department is devoted to
providing interactive opportunities to apply coursework in real-life,
real-time settings. Our faculty enjoy international reputations,
bringing their scholarship and productive research efforts into the
undergraduate experience, providing opportunities for research from
the introductory to advanced level that engage and challenge students
and promote critical thinking skills. For more information about the
department, see: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology

The Community
UVM is located in Burlington, Vermont, which is rated as one of the
best small cities in the country. The greater Burlington area has an
increasingly diverse population of about 125,000 and enjoys a panoramic
setting on the shore of Lake Champlain, between the Green Mountains of
Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. The surrounding
area provides an environment rich in cultural, civic and recreational
activities. Vermont has a deep history of social activism and political
participation. It offers many opportunities for collaborative partnerships
in community and state-wide human service and social change organizations
in multiple fields of practice, including state agencies.

Questions: contact joaquin.nunez@uvm.edu, elise.lauterbur@uvm.edu,
melissa.pespeni@uvm.edu

"Elise Lauterbur (she/they)" <Elise.Lauterbur@uvm.edu>

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