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Agricultural Soil Health Jr. Research Specialist
Position overview
Position title: Agricultural Soil Health Jr. Research SpecialistApplication Window
Open date: April 21, 2025
Next review date: Monday, Jun 2, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Tuesday, Jul 1, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
Assistant Professor and Agronomist Hannah Waterhouse in the UCSC Environmental Studies Department invites applications for an Agricultural Soil Health Junior Research Specialist.
The Waterhouse Lab examines how building soil health in agroecosystems influences soil-based ecosystem services, with a focus on nitrogen, carbon, and water cycling while grounding this research in the socioeconomic and policy context farmers are operating within. The junior specialist will support the management of multiple research projects, ensuring that tasks and deliverables are being met in a timely and rigorous manner. This includes conducting field and laboratory work, while also supervising and managing a team of undergraduate researchers supporting the projects. Further, the junior specialist will manage the laboratory's daily operations which includes ensuring a clean and safe working space; sieving and prepping soil for lab assays; and conducting laboratory assays including colorimetric assays and elemental analysis, data management and data analysis.
The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, organized, communicative, independent, and curious. Applicants with expertise or experience in the following areas are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Training and experience in experimental design, field work, sensor installation, pipetting, colorimetric assays, elemental analysis, calibration of sophisticated instruments, and/or laboratory safety and safe handling of hazardous chemicals.
- Strong programming skills in R or Python (with R being preferred) as well as strong statistical analysis and data visualization skills.
The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.
Environmental Studies Department: https://envs.ucsc.edu/index.html
Qualifications
B.S. (or equivalent foreign degree) in ecology, soil science, biology, chemistry, environmental engineering, hydrology, civil engineering, biomolecular engineering, or a related field.
Bench laboratory skills, statistical analysis, field work experience, and computer programming experience (e.g., R or Python).
Your application must demonstrate that you meet all of the basic qualifications listed above when you submit your application. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Application Requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. If applicable, please include DOI links or the URLs of PDFs for all publications listed on your CV. Additionally, please include the names and contact information for a minimum of three professional references. The committee will conduct reference checks for those applicants who are under serious consideration.
Cover Letter (Optional)
Help contact: hawaterh@ucsc.edu
About UC Santa Cruz
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.
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