Post-doc: PSY, CS, or related fields | Wildfire risk communication

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Sierra Nevada Research Institute at the University of California-Merced is looking for a self-motivated and qualified postdoctoral researcher to work on an interdisciplinary project aimed at using uncertainty communication to increase investment in forest restoration and reduce wildfire risk and providing other co-benefits. The candidate is expected to use human-computer interaction (HCI) or psychological science methods to work with watershed stakeholders to identify and analyze barriers to partnerships for investing in watershed forest restoration, with a focus on California’s Sierra Nevada and water-related beneficiaries of those investments. With guidance from the research team, the candidate will then design behavioral experiments to examine ways to increase investment in forest restoration using information communication about uncertainty. The candidate will be responsible for generating stimuli for the experiment, which could include creating data visualizations with uncertainty using statistical software such as R or GIS-based software such as ArcGIS.

The individual should be self-motivated and have demonstrated the ability to conduct independent scientific research. Familiarity with data visualization, uncertainty communication, and decision-making research is expected. As part of a multi-campus team, the postdoctoral researcher will participate in workshops and research activities that support the Innovation Center for Advancing Ecosystem Climate Solutions.

The successful candidate will be expected to: (1) work independently, (2) develop and implement research plans, (3) conduct meetings with stakeholders with the support of a project manager, (4) generate stimuli, (5) design and run online behavioral experiments, (6) analyze the results of the experiments in R, which likely will include multi-level modeling (Bayesian ideally but possibly Frequentist), and (7) prepare reports and progress updates for a variety of audiences (e.g., academic publications, knowledge translation, communication to decision-makers).

Project Description: http://space.ucmerced.edu/fire

Apply: https://aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF0117