The University of Florida Forest Entomology Lab is looking for a “writing” post-doc focused on entomology and biosecurity. The ideal applicant will be capable of effective synthesis of scientific literature, knowledgeable on APHIS regulatory language, and/or understands the biology of wood-boring insects. A track record of research or regulatory writing is required.
The purpose of this project is to assist US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) in rapid response to invasive pests by generating New Pest Response Guidelines for wood borers that prose risk to the U.S. but remain poorly documented.
The NPRGs will be supported by a robust risk assessment, built on our own newly collected data and existing literature. The ultimate deliverable will be a set of New Pest Response Guidelines for overseas pests that are currently undocumented but potentially extremely damaging to American landscapes and commodities.
We expect five to ten NPRGs during this project, however, with the literature data and the NPRG process developed, we expect to be able to generate additional 10 to 15 NPRGs in subsequent years, if additional funding becomes available.
Details:
- Annual salary: $60,000
- Duration: This will be a one-, two- or three-year position, depending on performance. The contract will include a three month probation period.
- Position start: As soon as possible, likely February/March 2025.
- In-person work in our lab on UF campus is strongly preferred. Remote work is possible, but at least occasional physical presence in Gainesville, FL will be required.
To apply, send the following to [email protected]:
- A letter describing your experience with wood-boring beetles, scientific literature synthesis, and your career aspirations.
- Your CV
- A list of your hobbies (what do you do when nobody tells you what to do?)
- Samples of scientific/regulatory writing. Sole or primary authorship preferred.
Application deadline: Friday, January 24th, 2025
Applicants invited for interview will also be asked to submit an abbreviated “mock” NPRG as a writing test assignment.