Position Information
Position Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Department: Earth Sciences
Posting Link: https://www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu/postings/64290
Job Type: Full-Time
Posting Detail Information
Position Summary
The Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University at Buffalo is seeking applications for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to join two NSF-funded interdisciplinary projects to accelerate geoscientific research by building an open science community and services for biomarker researchers and by building and using lake model emulators. The postdoc will lead the development of improved software workflows for biomarker data generation and for geoscience process modeling, conduct field work and synthesize existing data for model calibration and database synthesis, co-lead annual community workshops, among other leadership opportunities. Emphasis will be placed on developing community resources that make climate-proxy research more transparent, reproducible, and efficient. The position will be based in the Earth Sciences Department at the University at Buffalo and will collaborate closely with grant partners at UB and other institutions. UB is a global leader in interdisciplinary polar climate research and in climate action. We will begin to review applications 15 September 2026.
Job duties and responsibilities include:
- Gather and synthesize input from the Biomarker in Geosciences community about priorities for Open Science; Using these community-sourced data to develop and refine open-source software supporting workflows to accelerate biomarker research. Test the software on published data, which will be reported in project partner databases. Lead peer-reviewed publication(s) about this research.
- Run and calibrate, using data collected by the postdoc in the field and from existing studies, lake model simulations for emulator development and calibration. Use the emulator in a Bayesian statistical framework to quantitatively interpret paleoclimate proxy time series. Lead publication(s) about this research.
- Pursuing additional research interests related to this research, as discussed and agreed upon with Dr. Thomas.
- Professional development activities, including collaboration, mentoring graduate and/or undergraduate students, publishing, presenting at conferences and leading workshops, outreach and communication of research results.
Learn more:
- Our benefits, where we prioritize your well-being and success to enhance every aspect of your life.
- Being a part of the University at Buffalo community.
As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer, the Research Foundation will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and veteran or disability status.
Minimum Qualifications
- Ph.D. degree in earth sciences, (paleo)climate science, geochemistry, atmospheric sciences, or a related field at the time of appointment.
- Leadership in scientific peer-reviewed publications
- Proficiency in scientific computing using R, Python, or a comparable language, including experience developing reproducible analytical workflows, as demonstrated by presentations, publications, and/or repositories
Preferred Qualifications
- Expertise in interpreting geoscientific data using organic compounds and/or stable isotopes, as demonstrated by presentations and/or publications
- Expertise in using geoscientific process models, as demonstrated by presentations, publications and/or repositories
- Expertise in applying Bayesian statistical methods, machine learning methods, or related statistical inference approaches to scientific problems, as demonstrated by presentations, publications, and/or repositories
- Expertise in developing reproducible analytical workflows, as demonstrated by documented SOPs, publications, and/or repositories.
Physical Demands
Salary Range
$60,000
Special Instructions Summary
All application materials should be submitted via UB Jobs. Application materials submitted directly to the posting contact will not be acknowledged and cannot be considered.
Is a background check required for this posting?
No
Contact Information
Contact's Name: Elizabeth Thomas
Contact's Email: ekthomas@buffalo.edu
Contact's Phone: 716-645-4329
Posting Dates
Posted: 09/14/2026
Deadline for Applicants:
Date to be filled: 10/05/2026
About University at Buffalo
The University at Buffalo is a premier, research-intensive public university, and is a New York State flagship university. UB's 30,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 500 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. UB offers 16 Division I intercollegiate sports that compete at the highest level of competition in the NCAA. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is the largest and most comprehensive university in the State University of New York system (SUNY), and is a member of the Association of American Universities, which is composed of America's leading research universities. UB is consistently recognized as one of the world's most exceptional, most affordable universities.
Visit our website, https://buffalo.edu, to learn more about the University at Buffalo.
University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.