"Post Doctoral Researcher - Wildlife Biology"

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, private college of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academic environment. Small classroom settings where students collaborate with professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering their passion. A beautiful residential campus that offers students hands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources of Los Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation and divergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28 countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in one the country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy students routinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidental also is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grant recipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attend college.

Title:

Post Doctoral Researcher

Department:

Biology

Duration:

12 months

Employment Status:

Exempt, 40 hours per week

Job Summary

Reporting to the Associate Professor of Biology, the Postdoctoral Researcher will lead analytical components of a project examining wildlife data in Southern California. Responsibilities include developing and implementing data pipelines, performing advanced statistical analyses in R, generating visualizations, and contributing to written reports and publications. The Postdoctoral Researcher will attend partner meetings for the South LA Connectivity Habitat Plan and mentor undergraduate and graduate students in computational biology research methods.

Job Duties

• 30% - Manage and update datasets, maintain organized data files, and perform quality control assessments to ensure accuracy and consistency of all data used in analyses. - (Essential)
• 25% - Conduct statistical analyses, develop and maintain data analysis scripts, and ensure all analytical procedures are fully documented and reproducible. - (Essential)
• 15% - Generate figures, tables, and other visualizations, and prepare written summaries and results of all completed analyses. - (Essential)
• 10% - Perform literature research, review relevant publications, and collate data from published studies to support project objectives. - (Essential)
• 10% - Mentor undergraduate students conducting independent research projects, providing guidance on methods, analysis, and research design. - (Essential)
• 10% - Participate in meetings with project collaborators, provide updates on progress, and contribute to discussions on project direction and integration of research findings. - (Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in Biology or related sciences relevant to the position responsibilities, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficiency in the R programming language.
• Skill in spatial modeling.
• Ability to conduct statistical data analysis.
• Knowledge in ecological field research.
• Ability to write up data analysis results for publication.
• Competence in creating graphs and tables in R using ggplot.
• Ability to review scientific literature and evaluate computational results.
• Thorough understanding of computers, text editors, spreadsheets, and word processors.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editing, and social media applications or any combination of productivity programs applicable to position responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy.
• Strong commitment to a quality work product.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically.
• Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability to collaborate with a variety of constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity.
• Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities.
• Effective organizational, logistical, time management and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functions of an office in a timely manner.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and to work effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines, levels, and with diverse groups.
• Ability to analyze, synthesize and organize data, and present findings in a comprehensible manner for different audiences.

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $58,900/yr-$73,672/yr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.

Advertised: 08 Dec 2025 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close: