Postdoctoral Research Associate - III, School of Geography, Development & Environment

Postdoctoral Research Associate I – III, School of Geography, Development & Environment

Posting Number: req
25290

Department: Sch Geography, Dev & Environ

Department Website Link: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Location: Tucson Campus

Address: Tucson, AZ USA

Position Highlights: The University of Arizona's School of Geography, Development & Environment within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences invites you to apply to the role of Postdoctoral Research Associate. The candidate will join and support the NSF‑funded research project, "Assessing past and future Colorado River droughts in the context of a Holocene wetting trend". The project seeks to confirm the extreme persistence of the 2nd century drought in the Colorado River basin, and assess its drought characteristics in the context of both Holocene trend and climate change.

The postdoctoral researcher will take the lead on the dendrochronological laboratory work (sample preparation, dating and measuring, tree‑ring chronology development, and data archiving). The incumbent will further support the project by assisting the PIs with field collections and sample preparation, contributing to hydroclimatic and dendroclimatic data analysis, and producing written and graphical outputs for project publications. Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance;

paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more! The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work‑life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please .

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead dendrochronological lab work, data analysis, data management, and archival of data and wood specimens.
• Contribute to hydroclimatic and dendroclimatic data analysis and visualization.
• Provide written and graphical support for project reports and publications.
• Assist with field collections and sample preparation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work a part of a project team, in‑person and remotely.
• Ability to work independently.
• Skill in speaking to the general public.
• Knowledge of the current dendroclimatology literature.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in Earth System Science, Paleo climatology, Climatology or related field, awarded by the start of the position.
• Experience in dendrochronological sample preparation, cross‑dating, tree‑ring measuring systems, tree‑ring standardization approaches, chronology development, and dendrochronology programs such as ARSTAN and COFECHA.
• Experience with a statistical programming language, such as R or Matlab.
• Experience with time series analysis and scientific writing.

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Fiscal

Job Category: Research

Benefits Eligible: Yes – Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: NIH salary guidelines, Depends on Experience

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full‑time equivalency (FTE)

Type of criminal background check required: Name‑based criminal background check (non‑security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Target Hire Date: 8/3/2026

Open Date: 2/26/2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter

Contact Information for Candidates:
Dr. Connie Woodhouse
Regents Professor Emerita, School of Geography, Development & Environment
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