Ecologist (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) (IS-0408-09)

Application Deadline: 17 April 2025

Department: National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Front Royal, VA

Reporting To: Supervisory Ecologist

Compensation: $69,923 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: March 17, 2025        ��        CLOSING DATE: April 17, 2025 (This job will close once 100 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.)  
POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed Eighteen (18) Months (may be extended based on funds availability)SCHEDULE: Full Time DUTY LOCATION: Front Royal, VA
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all Qualified Applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program and may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).  Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated as low risk.
• Complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 

OVERVIEW

IINTRODUCTIONThe Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Washington, DC. NZCBI plays a leading role in the Smithsonian's global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists.
 SUMMARY The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute is seeking a Post-doctoral Research Fellow to advance research in the spatial ecology and conservation of bustard species with a special focus on houbara bustard. This research program is part of a scientific collaboration between NZCBI, the International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) and Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLC (RENECO).  The fellow may visit Reneco scientists for research discussions and coordination and travel to bustard field and IFHC research and conservation facilities in North Africa and Central Asia for data collection, analysis, and model validation. 
   LOCATION
Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The IFHC has cultivated an unprecedented dataset collected over the past 30 years which consists of intensive monitoring of reinforced houbara populations. These data will form the foundation for analyses. The post-doctoral fellow will need to demonstrate significant programming and analytical skills for analyzing large datasets. He/she will integrate remote sensing data layers and forecast how land use/land cover change, human impacts, resource availability, and projected climate change are predicted to affect the population distribution and abundance of bustards. The post-doctoral fellow will be encouraged and expected to develop their own research objectives that fit in with the project. 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience:
 
A. Degree: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research that involved at least 30 semester hours of coursework in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have incl