Postdoctoral Fellow: AI in Natural Resources/Environment (McCrary Fellow)

Job Description

Overview

The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University invites applications for the McCrary Postdoctoral Fellow, a unique opportunity for an early-career scholar to drive innovation at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and natural resource/environment management. This position aims to foster collaborative research, including proposal development, across our faculty in Forestry, Wildlife, and Environmental Sciences. This is a two-year postdoctoral position, with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability.

The McCrary Postdoctoral Fellow will be a key contributor to advancing AI applications within natural resources. This role primarily involves collaborating with faculty members across the college to develop competitive grant proposals, perform data collection and analysis, and other research outputs that integrate AI methodologies into research related to forestry, wildlife conservation, environmental science, and related fields. The successful candidate will leverage their expertise to identify opportunities, design research frameworks, and contribute to the writing and submission of proposals and/or papers. This position offers significant intellectual freedom and the chance to shape novel research directions.

The McCrary Fellow will report to the McCrary Endowed Professor, who will serve as a mentor, providing guidance on project prioritization, time management, and navigating collaborative opportunities within the college. This mentorship is designed to support the Fellow in effectively engaging with multiple faculty interests and maximizing their impact on proposal development.

The successful candidate must meet eligibility requirements for work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the term of employment.

Interested candidates should submit all of the following materials. Applications missing any of the required materials will not be considered.

1. A cover letter detailing the applicant's research interests, relevant AI and natural resource experience, and how the applicant envisions contributing to college-wide collaborations.
2. Curriculum Vitae.
3. A research statement (2-3 pages) outlining their vision for AI applications in natural resources and potential areas of collaboration. Applicants should review the research programs and expertise of faculty in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment and discuss how their expertise could complement and contribute to these research programs. The statement should identify specific areas of faculty expertise, research programs, and/or potential collaborators within the College; describe potential research questions, projects, or new directions that could emerge from these collaborations; and discuss how these collaborations could contribute to interdisciplinary publications and competitive external grant proposals. The research statement should be tailored specifically to opportunities for collaboration within the College rather than being a general statement of the applicant's research interests.
4. Contact information for three professional references.

The committee will begin reviewing applications on November 9, 2026. Applications received by that date will receive full consideration; however, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2027. Auburn University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify and engage with faculty members across the College interested in integrating AI into their research.
• Collaborate in the conceptualization, design, and writing of grant proposals (e.g., NSF, USDA, DOE, DoD, foundations) focusing on AI applications in natural resource challenges.
• Contribute expertise in various AI techniques (e.g., machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, predictive modeling, surrogate modeling) relevant to environmental data analysis, remote sensing, ecological modeling, conservation planning, and sustainable resource management.
• Assist in developing research methodologies and experimental designs for proposed projects.
• Stay abreast of the latest advances in AI and natural resource science to identify emerging research opportunities.
• Participate in relevant college seminars, workshops, and research group meetings.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant field such as Environmental Science, Forestry, Wildlife Ecology, Geography, Computer Science, Data Science, or a closely related discipline with a strong emphasis on AI/machine learning at the time the appointment begins.
• Demonstrated expertise in applying AI techniques to real-world datasets, ideally within the natural sciences.
• Strong track record of research, as evidenced by publications or significant contributions to research projects.
• Experience in grant proposal writing and development.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex AI concepts to varied audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
• Familiarity with natural resource management concepts and challenges.
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in AI/data science (e.g., Python, R).

Contract Type

Limited Term

Why Work at Auburn?

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.

Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!

Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement

It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more.