Post Doctoral Fellow

9 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday, occasional evenings and weekends

* A Ph.D. in Geography, Planning, Anthropology, Policy, Natural Resources, Environmental Studies, or related environmental social sciences by Fall 2025
* Training in interviewing, qualitative data analysis, and/or ethnography (can include coursework or fieldwork)
* Interest in environmental and community planning
* Comfortable talking and presenting to people, in group settings, or one-on-one
* Excellent written and oral communication skills

* Prior experience in interviewing, qualitative data analysis, and/or ethnographic field research, and/or other social science methodological grounding
* Prior experience working with communities through formal or informal community-based participatory research ( CBPR) or participatory action research ( PAR)
* Experience and use of GIS software (e.g., QGIS or ArcGIS)
* Up to date CITI training certification

* The post-doc will work with Dr. Hoover and community partner(s) to support research needs including but not limited to literature reviews, survey and/or interview guide design, environmental assessments, policy and planning strategies, spatial analysis, and/or case study research.
* Support Dr. Hoover in building relationships with personnel across NC and Charlotte communities
* Assist in data analysis/visualization for ongoing research
* Supporting on-going research in the group through mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students
* Attend weekly meetings with Dr. Hoover and monthly research group meetings
* Some travel within NC may be required to meet with stakeholders

As an EOE/AA employer and an ADVANCE Institution that strives to create an academic climate in which the dignity of all individuals is respected and maintained, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte encourages applications from all underrepresented groups. Applicants subject to criminal background check.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Fushcia-Ann Hoover [ fhoover3@charlotte.edu ] with questions regarding the position. Application materials are due March 28, 2025. Please email the materials as a single-pdf document to Dr. Hoover.
1. A Curriculum vitae
a. Please include a list of 2-3 references with contact information at the end of the CV
b. Full letters of recommendation will be requested if invited to interview
2. Cover letter detailing prior research experience, interest in the postdoc, and career motivations (maximum of 2 pages, single-spaced with 1-in margins)
3. If short-listed for the position, a project proposal (5-page max) will be requested, with details provided in the follow-up.

Project Overview
Addressing the complex challenges of today requires interdisciplinary approaches that engage and work alongside communities to identify what social, economic, and environmental drivers are most salient, in need of addressing, and/or of value to communities. Working closely with both Dr. Hoover and the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, the postdoc will support existing research, and develop new research plans to support ongoing place-based work dependent on the skills and training of the person hired. Current projects include an assessment of NC water conservation practices, community and neighborhood environmental assessments, environmental action plans, and environmental justice curriculum development.

The position is available to start as soon as April 1, 2025, but no later than August 1, 2025.

The Research Group
The core facets of the Hoover research group explore green infrastructure (GI) and green space, urban systems (including planning, hydrology, and ecology), community place-making, and environmental justice. As a team, we aim to understand, identify existing problems in these areas, in order to find and develop solutions in partnership with organizations, communities, and other stakeholders. We enter these social and environmental relationships through mixed methodologies, often across and informed by other disciplinary boundaries, training, and perspectives. The postdoc will join a friendly and welcoming team of undergraduates, masters and PhD students.

The Department
The Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (https://geoearth.charlotte.edu/) is a diverse community of physical, geospatial, and social scientists composed of over 35 faculty members, 400 undergraduate majors, and 60 graduate students. Our current mission is to inspire discovery of the Earth and its inhabitants and to foster informed communities of learners who strive for a sustainable world. We create and disseminate knowledge of the Earth's human and natural systems to adapt to an ever-changing environment in which we live, work, and interact. The Department offers undergraduate degrees in Meteorology (BS), Earth and Environmental Sciences (BS), Geology (BS), Geography (BA/BS), and Environmental Studies (BA). At the graduate level, we offer an MS in Earth Sciences, an MA and PhD in Geography, and regularly participate in the interdisciplinary Infrastructure and Environmental Systems ( INES) and Public Policy ( PPOL) PhD programs and the Master's in Urban Design ( MUD). The Department is also home to the Center for Applied Geographic Information Science ( CAGIS, https://gis.charlotte.edu/) and the Charlotte Action Research Project ( CHARP, https://charp.charlotte.edu/). We are committed to excellence in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and teaching.