We are seeking a postdoctoral scientist!
Postdoctoral Scientist: Eco-social dynamics of tick-borne pathogens along urbanization gradients
Columbia University
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B)
Description: The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B) at Columbia University invites applications a Postdoctoral Research Scientist position to contribute to transdisciplinary research on OneHealth and tick-borne diseases in the United States. The successful candidates will join the Eco-Epidemiology lab led by Dr. Maria Diuk-Wasser (https://ecoepidemiologylab.e3b.columbia.edu) to support a newly-funded NSF Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease program award.
The position will focus on basic and applied eco-epidemiological questions about the role of landscape, wildlife communities and human behavior in predicting risk and exposure to Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens across urban-to-rural human populations. The candidate will harness existing data and collaborate with the research team to design model-guided fieldwork and lead efforts to collect ecological (e.g., wildlife, ticks, pathogens), environmental (land use, landscape structure, weather), and human data (e.g. human knowledge, attitudes, behavior and movement data), The position is highly collaborative, including a network of vector biology and control experts, public health, social and behavioral scientists, economists, and infectious disease modelers in the US and UK. The research will address longstanding ecological questions as well as enhance response capacity for vector-borne disease management.
The candidate(s) will also interact with active projects on emerging zoonotic pathogens including various projects focusing on urban wildlife health, sociobehavioral studies and tick-borne disease surveillance and control and will harness existing datasets from projects supported by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Qualifications: The position requires a Ph.D. in wildlife biology, population or community ecology, conservation, or epidemiology. The position requires strong quantitative background, a high-degree of self-motivation and independence, effective communication and teamwork, meticulous data handling, and excellent organizational and time-management skills. Previous experience with wildlife ecology, behavior and movement and tick-borne disease ecology is highly desirable. A track record of research excellence is essential, as are excellent written and oral communication skills.
Application Instructions: All applications must be made through Columbia University’s Academic Search and Recruiting (ASR) system:
https://apply.interfolio.com/175301
Applicants should submit a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, and contact information for three reference providers who may be asked to upload letters of recommendation at a later stage in the search.
Salary Range:
Postdoctoral Research Scientist $72,200-$75,000 depending on experience.
The initial appointment is for one year with the possibility of renewal for two additional years contingent on satisfactory performance and funding.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer.
We are looking for MA and PhD Students!
We are looking for motivated students to apply to the Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Department for our PhD and MA programs. If you are interested in joining the lab, please e-mail Maria Diuk-Wasser with your CV and a short statement on: a) your background and research interests; and b) how these interests align with the work of the lab (i.e., what aspect of vector-borne disease eco-epidemiology you would like to work on).
Summer Field Research Assistants
Be sure to check back next year for the 2026 Field Season!