Deadline: Fri, 03/08/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: University of Florida School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences Job Field: Fisheries Forestry Other Job Type: Assistantship Location: Florida Location Detail: Gainesville, Florida Job Description: The University of Florida's School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (SFFGS) Natural Resource Economics and Policy Lab is seeking a qualified Ph.D. student for natural resource economic and policy research, starting in Fall 2024. The research assistant will primarily focus on developing and implementing independent research related to ecosystem service valuation at various scales (i.e., regional, state, and local), econometric modeling, and/or analyzing policies with economic methods. Natural resources will primarily be focused on forest or fisheries systems. Potential areas for dissertation work include: (1) Estimating ecosystem service values in Florida across various land use types and scales, including creating spatial map models (2) Evaluating economic impacts of various land use and policy changes on property values using geographically weighted hedonic models (3) Analyzing policy environments for various natural resource issues (i.e., silvopasture, forest policies, etc) using network analysis (4) Assessing outcomes of existing and hypothetical incentives for ecosystem service programs The successful applicants will be expected to complete coursework toward a Ph.D., and to develop a dissertation project related to the above topics and natural resource contexts. They will be expected to take courses in economics and quantitative methods (econometrics and regression-based statistics), and social science courses. Additionally, the student will serve as teaching assistants for undergraduate and graduate natural resource economics and policy courses in the fall and spring, and have the opportunity to create and communicate lecture materials. Qualifications: A M.S. degree in forestry, economics, statistics, or a quantitatively focused social science degree with a natural resource background. Essential skills include writing and communication. Experience with econometrics, spatial analysis (GIS), and computer programming is preferred. The ideal candidate will have a strong quantitative background, a proven ability to excel independently, experience with research design, eagerness to learn, and demonstrated research success. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Salary: $30,000/year for 4 years Benefits: This position provides 4 years of funding for a 20 hour/week assistantship ($30,000/year), health insurance options, and a tuition waiver for the University of Florida. Office space and operating support (i.e., laptop, travel to conferences/for research) are included. How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter explaining your interest in the position and qualifications that make you an ideal candidate, including specific research interests and goals. Please include an updated CV that includes contact information for 3 references, and attach university transcripts (unofficial is fine). Email the documents to: kklizentyte@ufl.edu
