[Pollinator] Postdoctoral Research Associate in Integrated Crop Pollination and Pest Management

[David Inouye]

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Integrated Crop Pollination and 
Pest Management

The Pennsylvania State University seeks a Postdoctoral Research 
Associate to participate in a
multidisciplinary, multi-state effort focused on developing resilient 
and sustainable crop
pollination with wild bees (www.icpbees. org). The work at Penn State 
will be focused in pumpkin
fields and apple orchards. The position will be housed at the 
University Park campus, in the
Department of Entomology, University Park, Pennsylvania. Work will 
also occur from the Fruit
Research and Extension Center, Biglerville, Pennsylvania, about a 3 
hour drive from University Park,
and a center of tree fruit production in the state and the region. 
Commercial field settings are
typically comprised of diverse high-value horticultural cropping 
systems, nested in forested or
urbanizing landscape with significant elevation relief.

We seek a highly motivated scientist to conduct and supervise studies 
that define the community
composition and abundance of bees in pumpkin and apple crops in 
Pennsylvania, and the value of
wild bees for providing pollination services in these crops. Studies 
will also evaluate effects of
landscape, habitat manipulation, and supplementation with managed 
bees on bee abundance and
pollination services. The candidate will collaborate on estimating 
nest density with trapping
studies and with molecular methods for social species. Additional 
collaboration will involve
Extension educational efforts, including developing an Integrated 
Crop Pollination demonstration
site for apples, and participation in studies that enable economic 
evaluations. The successful
candidate will work well with personnel in labs that advance IPM in 
vegetable and orchard crops
through studies in applied ecology and Extension Educational programs 
with a wide range of pest
and beneficial arthropod species.

The position requires a Ph.D. in Entomology or Ecology, and knowledge 
of agricultural systems.
Knowledge of bee biology and identification, pollination biology, 
landscape and statistical analyses,
immunoassays, and molecular tools used for haplotyping, will be of 
value for competing for this
position. The position requires a valid driver's license, extensive 
field work, including early-
morning hours, and overnight travel during pollination seasons for 
apples (April and early May) and
pumpkins (mid-July through August). The candidate must possess 
excellent communication and
organizational skills and demonstrate evidence of effective writing 
through peer-reviewed
publications.

This is a full-time, appointment available for one year with the 
opportunity for renewal contingent
on availability of federal funds. Start date is late winter or early 
spring of 2013.
Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum 
vitae, contact information for
three references, and examples of publications via email at 
sjf4 at psu.edu, to Shelby Fleischer,
Department of Entomology, 501 ASI Building, The Pennsylvania State 
University, University Park, PA
16802. Also send a second copy via email at djb134 at psu.edu, to David 
Biddinger, Fruit Research
and Extension Center, P.O. Box 330, 290 University Dr. Biglerville, 
PA 17307. Employment will
require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance 
with University policies.


Penn State is committed to equal opportunity, affirmative action and 
the diversity of its workforce.