David L Nieland Subject:

Postdoc Position in Tropical Plant Biology

We have an exciting opportunity for an indefinitely renewable postdoctoral position in tropical plant biology with a collegial group based in Miami. We are seeking a post-doctoral scholar in tropical plant functional ecology in the International Center for Tropical Botany and the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University. The position will be based in the Tropical Plant Diversity lab of Chris Baraloto (http://www.ecofog.gf/en/perso/Baraloto/), in collaboration with Ken Feeley (http://faculty.fiu.edu/~kfeeley/). The ICTB is a new, collaborative effort between FIU and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens to develop programs in research, education and outreach in tropical plant biology (http://ictb.fiu.edu). The ICTB is building a world-class headquarters with offices, laboratories and meeting rooms, adjacent to The Kampong botanic gardens on Biscayne Bay in historic Coconut Grove (http://ntbg.org/gardens/kampong.php). Responsibilities: The post-doctoral scholar will help lead several projects exploring the functional diversity of tropical plants, but will also be encouraged to develop their own research program. Core projects could include (i) examinations of Amazonian tree functional strategies, with an emphasis on traits related to drought tolerance; (ii) meta-analyses of tropical tree databases integrating functional traits, species distributions, and performance (growth, mortality); (iii) surveys of plant functional diversity across the world’s tropical botanical gardens. Required qualifications (By start date of early 2016): • Ph.D in tropical botany, plant ecophysiology, plant ecology or a related field; • Appreciation and competence for sorting of tropical plant morphological diversity; • Evidence of success in development of independent research initiatives; • Excellent oral and written communication skills; • Record of publication in peer-reviewed journals; • Working knowledge of two or more of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French; • Enthusiasm for field work in remote tropical sites. Appointment: This position will report to Dr. Christopher Baraloto. The initial appointment will be for 100% time for two years with the indeterminate possibility of extension based on performance. Salary: $45 – 50k, depending on experience and qualifications. This position provides FIU’s excellent benefits package. Applications Interested applicants should send a 3-page CV and a cover letter detailing the candidate’s research record and qualifications for the project, to [email protected] 30 November. We will then hold telephone interviews for final candidates, who will be asked to provide names with contact information for three individuals who have agreed to provide a reference for this specific position.

Christopher Baraloto Director, International Center for Tropical Botany (ICTB) Department of Biological Sciences Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 243 Miami, FL 33199, USA Tel. : +1 305 348 4027 Fax : +1 305 348 1986 http://ictb.fiu.edu

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