Postdoctoral Researcher in White-tailed Deer Integrated Population Modeling Auburn University in United States

Valente Lab and Belsare Lab at Auburn University are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher for white-tailed deer integrated population modeling.

The project is a collaborative effort with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and focuses on developing a novel deer population modeling and management framework. The postdoc will help identify key management questions, build modeling tools to evaluate management options, and produce actionable information for agency biologists.

The researcher will work closely with faculty, graduate students, and ADCNR personnel to integrate heterogeneous data sources such as harvest records, citizen science observations, and deer-vehicle collisions. The role offers substantial freedom to explore modeling approaches while keeping accurate estimation of demographic parameters as the main goal.

Research keywords: quantitative ecology, wildlife management, population modeling, integrated population modeling, Bayesian data analysis, species distribution modeling, GIS, machine learning, artificial intelligence.

Eligibility highlights: PhD in Wildlife, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Statistics, or a closely related field; strong English communication skills; ability to work independently and in interdisciplinary teams; experience presenting and publishing peer-reviewed research; experience with R, GIS software, and population modeling.

Funding: fully funded for up to 2.5 years with a starting salary of $60,000 plus benefits.

Timing: ideal start in Fall 2026 (August–October). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is found.

How to apply: email both Dr. Jonathon Valente and Dr. Aniruddha Belsare with the subject line “Deer Population Postdoc.” Send one PDF containing a cover letter, CV, unofficial transcripts, and contact information for 3 references.