Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Title Postdoctoral Research Associate Agency Texas A&M Agrilife Research Department Amarillo Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location Bushland, Texas Job Type Staff

About Texas A&M Agri Life Texas A&M Agri Life is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:
Texas A&M Agri Life Extension Service Texas A&M Agri Life Research College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University Texas A&M Forest Service Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M Agri Life brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System.

With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M Agri Life is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.  to learn more about how you can be a part of Agri Life and make a difference in the world!

Texas A&M Agri Life Research seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support research advancing nutrient management and air quality in livestock–crop production systems at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) at Bushland, TX. The successful candidate will develop and evaluate strategies that reduce nutrient losses from manure, assess fertilizer contributions of nearby feedyards to surrounding crop and forage production, and add value to abundant stocks of manure and agricultural biomass in the region.

The postdoc will work closely with CPRL scientists and collaborators to conduct lab‑, pilot‑, and feedlot‑scale research to develop and evaluate approaches to reduce nutrient losses from manure and improve nutrient cycling in livestock–crop systems.

• Complete data analysis for the ammonia-deposition project (ADAPT Phase I).
• Conduct ammonia emissions modeling for a local concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), and prepare results for publication.
• Collaborate with USDA‑ARS workgroup contributing to enhancements of the USEPA CMAQ/STAGE model.
• Deploy an open‑path laser–based monitoring system for continuous ammonia and methane measurements at a local CAFO.
• Initiate and lead data collection, processing, and interpretation to support peer‑reviewed publications.
• Participate in weekly research meetings (in person or virtual).
• Lead the preparation of manuscripts, research presentations, and USDA‑ARS annual performance reports.
• Submit all resulting publications to the ARS Principal Investigator for inclusion in the USDA‑ARS publication database.
• Ensure all research data comply with USDA Departmental Regulation 1020‑006 (Public Access to Scholarly Publications and Digital Scientific Research Data) and ARS P&P 630 (Data Management & Public Access Requirements).

Under general supervision by the Professor and Center Director of Texas A&M Agri Life Research – High Plains, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will work alongside USDA-ARS scientists, contribute to team‑based research activities, and share hands‑on insights gained from experimental work. Performance reviews, conducted annually in April‑May, will be the responsibility of the Professor and Center Director, Texas A&M Agri Life Research – High Plains in consultation with the Research Leader of the USDA‑ARS Livestock and Nutrient Management Research Unit (LNMRU), who will provide day‑to‑day guidance on research activities.

All publications will be entered into the USDA‑ARS publication database to support research accountability and public dissemination.

• Earned Ph.
  
  D. in Soil Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Atmospheric Science, or a closely related field.
• Strong background in nutrient management, air quality, emissions monitoring, or livestock waste systems.
• Experience with data analysis, modeling (e. g., ammonia emissions or air quality models), and statistical software (R, SAS, Python, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent…