"Postdoctoral Fellow - Gulf Coast Resilience"

Job Description Summary

The Collaborative Conservation & Adaptation Planning and the Wetland and Riparian Ecology labs at Auburn University are seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the "Building the resilience of Gulf Coast blue economies in a changing world: A multiple case study" research initiative, which has been recommended for funding by Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant. This mixed-methods project will constructively evaluate the long-term impacts of Sea Grant's Gulf Resilience Community of Practice (CoP) and explore how resilience is understood, experienced, and implemented across a spectrum of coastal economies in Mississippi and Alabama.

The postdoc will work closely with Dr. Matthew Jurjonas (PI and Assistant Professor, Conservation Social Science) and Dr. Chris Anderson (Co-PI and Professor, Coastal Wetland Ecology) to co-lead project implementation. The position emphasizes community-based fieldwork, qualitative interviewing, focus groups, and comparative case study analysis, with three focal communities who have already expressed support for the project-representing a range of traditional, hybrid, and tourism-based blue economies. In addition, this position will help co-design a workshop at the CoP annual meeting designed to share results, foster dialogue, and strategize new directions for today's changing coastal resilience context toward the end of the project.

The position will start in the Spring 2026, and the starting salary is $55,000. In addition, the position includes an annual research and travel budget to support fieldwork, professional development, and dissemination activities.

Responsibilities will include:

• Develop and implement a program evaluation protocol that constructively evaluates the impact, potential opportunities, and future directions of the Resilience CoP.
• Collaboratively refine and implement a robust qualitative multiple case study design based on Yin's methodology in three Gulf Coast Communities.
  + Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (Vol. 6). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Facilitate ongoing coordination with Resilience Extensionists and Gulf Resilience CoP members.
• Support the design and implementation of a co-produced workshop hosted in conjunction with the Gulf Resilience CoP annual meeting.
• Contribute to the development of peer-reviewed publications, a practitioner-focused policy brief, and outreach materials.
• Participate in regular team meetings, project planning, and stakeholder engagement.
• Present findings at national and regional conferences (e.g., Gulf of America Alliance, Social Coast Forum, International Association for Society and Natural Resources).

The successful candidate must meet eligibility requirements for work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the term of employment.

Minimum Qualifications

PhD in Environmental Social Science, Human Dimensions, Geography, Sociology, Public Policy, or a related field by the start date.

• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative research (e.g., interviews, coding, case study design).
• Strong writing skills with a track record of scholarly publication.
• Interest in community resilience, adaptation, and coastal blue economies.
• Experience working with various partners, including government agencies, extension, and NGOs.
• Interest in contributing to the CCAP lab's culture of collaborative community-engaged science.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with social-ecological systems frameworks and resilience theory.
• Prior experience with participatory or community-engaged research.
• Prior experience working in coastal communities, the Gulf South, or with Coastal Extension networks.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Interested individuals can contact Dr. Matthew Jurjonas at mdj0048@auburn.edu with any questions. To apply, please visit AU Employment.

1. A Cover Letter/Statement of Interest (2-page max) detailing research interests and relevant experience for the project focus outlined above.
2. A CV/Resume
3. A Writing Sample (e.g., thesis chapter, published research paper, or technical report). Send to above email: mdj0048@auburn.edu.
4. The names and email addresses for three professional references

Application Deadline: Review of Applications will begin on February 16th, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.

Salary Range: $55,000