This is a one-year grant funded, non-tenure track position. Continuation of employment will be dependent on funding availability, job performance, and continued need for the appointment.

Work Location: This position will be housed at the Louisiana State University AgCenter – LaHouse Resource Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Remote work will be considered for ideal in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Position Description: The Postdoctoral Researcher is a 12-month, non-tenure track position in the LSU Agricultural Center Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering at the LaHouse Resource Center. This position is within the field of flood hazard risk assessment research focused on developing and quantifying a flood risk reduction framework that considers risk reduction as a function of flood hazard, building performance, and flood insurance. This position collaborates with researchers at Louisiana State Agricultural and Mechanical University (LSU A&M). The appointee will conduct research, manage projects, prepare peer-reviewed research products, and attend and present at national and international conferences. The grant supporting this position began in 2022 and ends in 2025.

Duties include:

80% This position will collaborate on the development and implementation of a novel framework to describe how natural and nature-based features (NNBF) can enhance the resilience of military missions and operations in present and future terrains to address threats posed by climate and coastal hazards. The successful candidate must contribute to methodologies to comprehensively quantify annual flood risk considering depth-damage functions for various building classifications and multiple flood elevation scenarios; relate generalized flood hazard reduction to community/asset risk reduction under variable conditions; relate building-level mitigation and floodproofing to community/asset risk reduction; estimate flood insurance premiums and the extent to which insurance reduces owner flood risk; and apply this comprehensive framework to address national security, military mission resilience, the resilience of communities around military installations, and economies of coastal states.

10% The job duties include, but are not limited to, collaborating with graduate students, scientists, engineers, and designers; organizing and leading meetings; preparing progress and final reports for compliance with contract requirements; conducting literature reviews; collecting and analyzing data; attending grant-related meetings; and preparing publications, reports and presentations. This position will also be responsible for the preparation of scientific figures, maps, charts, and journal articles for purposes of scientific communication.

10% Other duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications: PhD in Engineering, Construction Management, Oceanography, Coastal Science, or a closely related field. Must have specific experience in flood hazard risk assessment and GIS analysis. Excellent analytical and computational abilities are required. Knowledge and skills in organization, time management, and data management are essential. Good written and oral communication skills are required.

Preferred Qualifications: Demonstrated experience in the development of flood risk assessment frameworks that address community-level flood risk, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, excellent written and oral communication skills.

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some child care and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year, typically includes a week off at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort, and length of employment.

Date Available: Upon completion of the selection process.

Application Deadline: August 9, 2023, or until a suitable candidate is identified.

Application Procedure: Apply online at LSU AgCenter Careers (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching cover letter with detailed CV including educational, employment, and research or outreach experiences, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and any other pertinent information. Questions about the online application system should be directed to the HRM Office at 225/578-0324. (Paper, faxed, or emailed application materials will not be accepted.) In lieu of attaching the letters of reference, they may be sent directly to:

Dr. Carol Friedland
Director, LaHouse Resource Center
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
LSU AgCenter
2858 Gourrier Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA, 70820
Email: CFriedland@agcenter.lsu.edu
Web site: AgCenter website

The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.