Job Opening October 2025: Postdoctoral Scholar

UPDATE: although we have begun reviewing applications as of November 7, this position is still open, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply! Your application will receive full consideration.

Position Overview

The UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science (CCCS) seeks an accomplished science education researcher to join a research-practice partnership developing and implementing a prison-based master naturalist certification course. The project is funded by a three-year National Science Foundation Advancing Informal Science Learning (AISL) grant, and builds on years of collaboration between the UC Davis team and Land Together, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of environmental justice and criminal justice system reform. Together we will develop, implement, and study two iterations of a California Naturalist certification course offered by the UC Cooperative Extension using a Design-Based Research approach that leverages garden spaces developed by Land Together (LT) in prisons, and builds on the Insight Garden Program curriculum that LT has been implementing for more than two decades.

The postdoctoral scholar will also be an important member of the community of faculty, staff, and students that make up the Center for Community and Citizen Science at UC Davis, and have the opportunity to play a key role in shaping the education research activities of the Center into the future. This is a full-time three-year position, contingent on funding availability, starting as soon as possible. Application review will be on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please contact us ASAP if you plan to apply, even if you need more time to prepare materials.

Position Expectations

Reporting to co-PI Heidi Ballard, and in coordination with the project team led by PI Laci Gerhart, the Postdoctoral Scholar will design and carry out a design-based research plan with an emphasis on qualitative methods. This role includes research design, data collection and analysis, literature reviews, writing and submitting peer-reviewed journal articles, coordinating and leading research-focused virtual and in-person meetings with the whole team, and assisting project staff in developing outreach and communication materials.

Core responsibilities of this position are to:

• become well-versed in the relevant theory, previous research, and methods literature to inform the design, analysis, and writing-up of the research project.
• design research methods with Co-PI Heidi Ballard in collaboration with the project team, tightly integrated with development of the California Naturalist course design, led by PI Laci Gerhart;
• oversee research compliance procedures in coordination with the University’s IRB, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR);
• oversee and carry out the daily research activities of the project including data collection activities at a California prison site (likely the California Healthcare Facility (CHCF) in Stockton and/or California Medical Facility in Vacaville), data management, and analysis;
• develop and deliver research-related presentations to the project’s Advisory Board, and at professional conferences;
• lead author and co-author peer-reviewed journal articles in relevant fields;
• collaborate with another post-doc on related project, and mentor and supervise research assistants as appropriate;
• assist with the planning and implementation of virtual and in-person Advisory Board meetings, and assist with writing annual NSF reports; and
• contribute to products useful to practitioners.

The primary worksite location is the Center for Community and Citizen Science, UC Davis with regular visits to the research site, and other locations as appropriate.

Required Qualifications, Knowledge & Skills

• Ph.D. in education or environmental social sciences with a preferred focus on science education, environmental education, learning sciences, youth development, or related fields.
• Experience with qualitative research methods including interview data collection and analysis, field and ethnographic observational data collection and analysis.
• Experience with data management for large research projects.
• Ability to write independently and collaboratively on deadline, and documented evidence of scholarly publications.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, and preferably some project management experience.

Preferred Qualifications, Knowledge & Skills

• Experience with community and citizen science (research and/or practice), and/or environmental education.
• Knowledge and/or experience in adult education (formal or informal)
• Understanding of dynamics related to power and equity that arise in collaborative research and research-practice partnerships.
• Knowledge and/or experience related to carceral settings and the criminal justice system.
• Direct work or life experience with the carceral system, or other system-impacted experiences 
• Knowledge of sociocultural learning theories, identity theories and issues in education (formal or informal settings).
• Experience with qualitative data analysis software such as Dedoose.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead a social science research team in highly collaborative research, including non-academic partners external to the University.
• Demonstrated ability to mediate and facilitate a process involving multiple stakeholders with diverse interests.

To Apply

Send a CV, cover letter, and list of three references, to ccs@ucdavis.edu with the subject line “CalNat Postdoc.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please contact us if you plan to apply.

Compensation

A reasonable estimate of the starting annual salary for this position is $69,073-$71,769. The position includes full benefits, as well as funds for project-related travel, equipment, and other project-related expenses.

Full job ad in PDF form available here.

Center for Community and Citizen Science

The UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science (CCS) was launched in 2016 to build on the University’s growing reputation for excellent research on public participation in science. Based at the School of Education, the Center serves as a home for ideas, research, and training to help scientists, communities, and citizens collaborate on science to address environmental problems as a part of civic life.

To advance its mission, the Center develops trainings, curriculum, pilot projects, and innovative collaborations with scientists, schools, museums, government agencies, nonprofits, and others. In addition to research and practice, the Center plays an important role in both intellectual and practical discourse on citizen and community science at UC Davis and beyond.

Campus Information

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM – 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, “Authorization to Release Information” into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

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