Postdoctoral Research Associate (Agricultural Research)

Location: On-site in Uvalde, Texas, United States; the position is not eligible for remote work and may require travel to field plots, growers’ farms, and conferences in Texas and other states.

Company

Texas A&M AgriLife is a Texas A&M University System organization focused on agriculture and life sciences through research, education, extension, and service.

What you will do

• Conduct research on crop evapotranspiration monitoring and irrigation management for cotton, spinach, onions, and corn.
• Install and use eddy covariance evapotranspiration sensors, root-zone soil moisture sensors, telemetry systems, and web-based evapotranspiration modules.
• Plan field experiments, collect plant and biochemical samples, and participate in planting, weeding, irrigation, and harvesting activities.
• Analyze crop-water-use data, document datasets and metadata, and apply computer and mathematical models.
• Summarize results for peer-reviewed publications, technical progress reports, field days, and professional conferences.
• Mentor or supervise student and graduate researchers and collaborate with faculty, students, and staff.

Requirements

• PhD in crop physiology, ecology, hydrology, or agricultural engineering.
• Ability to formulate hypotheses, design experiments, handle scientific data, perform statistical analysis, and write scientific reports.
• Evidence of publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills.
• Ability to multitask, work cooperatively, communicate effectively with faculty, students, and staff, and establish effective working relationships.
• Organizational skills.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel independently to field sites, farms, and conferences.
• Ability to work beyond normal business hours and/or on weekends, lift or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds, and work outdoors in variable weather conditions.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications.

Culture & Benefits

• One-year position funded through grants or contracts; continued employment depends on funding availability and satisfactory performance.
• Health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance with employer contributions.
• 12–15 paid holidays, up to 8 hours of sick leave per month, and at least 8 hours of vacation per month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
• Employee wellness initiative and access to professional development and training.
• All positions are security-sensitive and require a criminal history investigation and verification of credentials.

Hiring process

• Submit complete application data or a complete resume; incomplete applications may be rejected.
• Required documents: CV/resume, cover letter, list of references, and valid driver’s license.
• Employment may require nonimmigrant sponsorship; Texas A&M AgriLife will not pay a potential $100,000 H-1B petition fee, and a Texas moratorium may affect the ability to employ candidates requiring sponsorship.