Postdoctoral Scholar Researcher in Social Studies of the Latino Beekeeping Community

A Postdoctoral position is available in the Lopez-Uribe lab (www.lopezuribelab.com) at Penn State to work on a collaborative NESARE-funded project investigating the barriers and opportunities that the Latino community has to engage in beekeeping activities as a side business. The person in this position will be in charge of recruiting participants for the study and of collecting and analyzing interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and other forms of qualitative data for the project. Additionally, the postdoc will be actively engaged in the organization of outreach and extension events necessary for participant recruitment for this project. The postdoc is expected to complete the work and disseminate results via peer-reviewed publications within the timeframe of the position. In addition, there will also be opportunities to be involved in outreach and extension events, and outputs transferring research outputs from this project to the broader beekeeping and potential beekeeping population.

The successful candidate will play a lead role in study design and implementation. They should have data analysis skills, including knowledge of how to design, collect, and analyze qualitative data such as interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and other forms of data collected through the project. In particular, the candidate should demonstrate successful experience in conducting sociological research with under-served populations in agricultural settings. Ideally, the candidate will have experience conducting outreach or extension events with under-served populations in agriculture. The candidate should demonstrate a proven record of publishing research results and should communicate fluently in Spanish. Previous connections with the Latino Ag sector in Pennsylvania are desirable but not required.

Qualified candidates are required to have a Ph.D. in rural sociology, sociology, agricultural extension and education, or related fields of study. Applicants are required to have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate in these fields and be able to provide evidence that all requirements have been met for completion of the Ph.D. prior to the effective date of hire. A strong publication record or strong potential for publication, as well as organizational and communication skills, are also required. The person in this position will be involved in grant writing, mentoring students, and outreach/extension activities. The position is open to anyone with the legal ability to begin working in the US. This position will be located at Penn State in University Park, PA (Penn State's main campus).

This is a full-time postdoctoral scholar researcher position with limited funding for one year from the date of hire, with a possibility of re-funding beyond the first year for up to an additional year, contingent upon job performance.

Interested applicants should submit the following documents:

(1) a brief statement (up to 2 pages) describing relevant previous research experience and interests in working in the lab and as part of this project. Please address point-by-point how your previous experience relates to the responsibilities detailed in the job description.

(2) curriculum vitae (include experience in both research and outreach/extension)

(3) contact information for three references willing to provide letters of recommendation.

Please send any questions regarding the position to Margarita Lopez-Uribe (mml64@psu.edu) with the subject line: "Social Studies of the Latino Beekeeping Community". This position will be open until a suitable candidate is found in the applicant pool.