Research Assistantship (PhD) in Agroecology of Dryland Cropping Systems

We are seeking a highly motivated and qualified student to evaluate the ability of alternative cropping rotations in a dryland wheat-based cropping system to capture and utilize available water and soil nitrogen within complex landscapes and over a wide climatic gradient. Research will involve field experimentation, remote sensing, and hydrologic crop modeling.

The PhD student will investigate opportunities to better utilize remote sensing and crop modeling to capture and manage point and field scale hydrologic fluxes and crop nitrogen uptake. The applicant will apply and utilize process-based cropping models to an extensive field experimental data set. (e.g. CropSyst and/or DSSAT) to quantify the long-term agronomic and environmental impacts of alternative cropping systems in the region..

The position will be within a larger collaborative USDA-CAP funded project entitled Landscapes In Transition (https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/news-and-events/features/2017/landscapes-in-transition) project involving climate, soil scientists, entomologists, agronomists, and economists and Washington State University, University of Idaho and the Cook Agronomy Farm Long Term Agro-ecosystem Research (LTAR) site managed by the USDA-ARS. The University of Idaho is located in Moscow, a small college town with a thriving arts scene and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Qualifications: Applicants for the positions should have a graduate degree in hydrology, water resources, soils, agronomy, environmental chemistry, agricultural engineering, environmental engineering, or a related field. The ideal candidate will be familiar with water and nutrient cycling in soils, have an understanding of crop systems, GIS/remote sensing, Python/R programming, and crop/hydrologic modeling experience. The students are expected to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and to participate in field data collection. We highly encourage motivated students eager to gain a deeper understanding of the sustainable dryland cropping systems and are willing to work interactively in team research to apply for these assistantships.

Financial support: Each successful candidate will receive tuition support ($9,876) and stipend ($24,000), and financial support to participate to a relevant conference each year.

To apply: Please send a Personal statement, Curriculum Vitae, Unofficial transcripts, and contact information for three references to Erin Brooks at [email protected].

Timeline: Review of applicants will start immediately and continue until the position is filled. Students may start as soon as January 2020