Positions available with new global nitrogen initiative hosted by UMCES

The newly established Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and Environment (NICCEE), spearheaded by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) with key partners in the U.S., Canada, and the UK, is jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, UK Research and Innovation, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The global center seeks to harness the technological innovation of green ammonia production to bolster clean energy initiatives, combat climate change, and secure food supplies for the future, while minimizing risks of unintended consequences.

 

NICCEE will serve as an Information Hub with state-of-the-art cyberinfrastructure to monitor the lifecycle and effects of nitrogen in agriculture-food-energy systems, as an Innovation Platform to facilitate the co-development of technological and socioeconomic solutions with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, and as an Education Center to nurture the next generation of scientists and innovators championing sustainable and climate-smart nitrogen management.

 

To advance its mission in accelerating socioeconomic and technological innovation for sustainable and climate-smart nitrogen management, NICCEE invites applications for the following positions:  

 

PHD Level Graduate Student Position in Nitrogen Information Systems

NICCEE is seeking a motivated Ph.D. student to develop a state-of-the-art data platform to track nitrogen management across the agriculture, food and energy systems, aiding stakeholders in informed decision making.

 

The selected candidate will be co-advised by Professor Xin Zhang, NICCEE Director, and Professor Dong Liang. The successful candidate will have 1) a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Data science, Statistics, Environmental Science, or similar field; 2) proficient in at least one programming language. Basic knowledge about nitrogen cycles in agriculture-food-energy systems is desirable but not required. 

Start Date: January to August 2024. The review of applications will begin Dec. 10, 2023 and continue until a qualified candidate is found. The assistantship will include tuition coverage, benefits, and a 12-month annual stipend of starting at $33,642. Three years of support are available through the NSF research assistantship, with additional support available through AL-UMCES institutional funds and fellowships.

Program: The student will matriculate through the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences Program (MEES; https://www.mees.umd.edu/admissions#How-to-apply), a University of Maryland multi-campus joint degree program, and will reside at the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg for the duration of the project.

Location: The UMCES Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD. Frostburg is a small college town with a low cost of living and abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Nearby amenities include numerous state forests and wildlife areas, scenic Appalachian Mountains, and Frostburg State University.

 

For more information, or to apply, visit the official posting on the UMCES website.

 

Assistant Research Scientist- Postdoctoral Researcher in Integrated Nitrogen Modeling

NICCEE is seeking a motivated researcher with experience in the areas of agriculture and land use modeling, energy modeling, and/or biogeochemical modeling to work with an interdisciplinary research team at the Joint Global Change Research Institute to develop a nitrogen module in the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM). Using the model, they will work with collaborators at NICCEE to assess the potential impacts of green ammonia technologies on various sustainability challenges such as climate change, food security, and nutrient pollution.

 

As a partner institution of NICCEE, the Joint Global Change Research Institute represents a collaboration between the University of Maryland and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (see details https://www.pnnl.gov/projects/jgcri). The Institute focuses on quantitative modeling of Human-Earth systems, primarily to advance the science and inform the policy discussions pertaining to climate change mitigation and adaptation. One notable development from the Institute is GCAM, an integrated assessment model of energy, land, water, and atmosphere.

 

The successful applicant must have (1) a PhD received within the last 5 years or within the next 8 months, (2) a strong publication record, and (3) experience with computer-based modeling, ideally in R, C++, and/or Python.

 

Start Date: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a qualified candidate is found. This is a full-time appointment with benefits, renewed annually for up to 3 years, subject to satisfactory performance. Salary is $58,000 per year and includes fringe benefits.

 

Location: Joint Global Change Research Institute, College Park, MD or Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD.

 

For more information, or to apply, visit the official posting on the UMCES website.

 

Program Manager- Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and Environment (NICCEE)

 

The Program Manager will be instrumental in shaping the trajectory and impact of this global initiative and will be immersed in a diverse environment, collaborating with multiple stakeholders ranging from academic institutions, NGOs, international organizations, governments, to private enterprises.

 

The Program Manager is responsible for providing administrative and programmatic leadership for the NICCEE center. The Program Manager will report to NICCEE’s Director, Dr. Xin Zhang at UMCES.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Program Management: Oversee NICCEE’s operations, including planning, budgeting, contracting, and reporting. Ensure compliance with guidelines set by the funding organizations and facilitate inter-institutional collaboration for project completion.
• Major Event Planning: Lead the planning and execution of NICCEE’s annual meetings (i.e., Nitrogen Summer Institute) and other significant events, enhancing its visibility on the global stage.
• Strategic Planning and Communications: Assist NICCEE’s leadership in organizing committee and team meetings. Collaborate with communications personnel to amplify NICCEE’s achievements and mission. Work with the director and the executive committee to develop business and marketing plans for sustainable growth of the Center.
• Business Development: Cultivate partnerships with collaborators across countries, explore research and development opportunities, and support proposal writing to attract diverse funding sources.
• Leadership: Foster relationships within and outside NICCEE, and engage with various stakeholders.
• Internship Program: Coordinate an internship program with partners such as International Fertilizer Association and The Nature Conservancy.
• Other duties as assigned.

 

Location: UMCES Appalachian Laboratory/Hybrid

 

The UMCES Appalachian Laboratory is located in Frostburg, MD. Frostburg is a small college town with a low cost of living and abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Nearby amenities include numerous state forests and wildlife areas, scenic Appalachian Mountains, and Frostburg State University.

 

For more information, or to apply, visit the official posting on the UMCES website.