Farm Management Economist (Postdoctoral Research Associate)
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Thank you for your interest in this position. We’re pleased to announce this position has been filled. Details of the successful candidate will be posted shortly.
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Position Overview
Anticipated Start: Q1 2024
Position Duration: The appointment is for 2 years, based on performance.
Salary Range: $55,000-$61,000 expected base salary, per 12-month period.
Benefits: Healthcare stipend, retirement plan, PTO, professional development, remote work, flexible schedule.
Position Description
Land Core and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business at the University of Arkansas are seeking to fill a two-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position.
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work on issues related to Agricultural Business and Production Risk. The successful candidate will contribute to developing economic models on the value of risk mitigation afforded to farms via the adoption of soil conservation practices, such as reduced tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation, particularly under extreme climate conditions.
This position is part of a multidisciplinary and multi sector team with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture and Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. The goals of the broader team include quantifying the value of farming systems that reduce risk of yield losses for farmers. These data will allow agricultural lenders, insurers, to quantify and incentivise identified low risk practices, via actuarial and economic analyses. Land Core is the project convener and formal employer for this role, while team members span multiple universities and private-sector partners. There is significant potential for real world impact from this research by informing agricultural lending and crop insurance policies in the US, and through high-impact publications. The successful applicant is expected to contribute to the research efforts of the team and generate scholarly publications as part of the appointment.
The successful candidate will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Lawson Connor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. This is a full-time appointment with a strong preference for being based locally at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus, but remote work can be negotiated.
Responsibilities
Utilize crop yield models to simulate crop insurance rates
Collaborate with multidisciplinary (e.g. agroecologists, agricultural economists, and statisticians) and multi-sector (i.e. academics and NGO) team to contribute to quantifying economic risks from different cropping systems and soil health practices (i.e. conservation tillage, cover cropping, and cropping system diversification) and environmental contexts, and conducting farm management and finance modeling
Work collaboratively with and articulate complex statistical concepts to stakeholders without statistical training
Contribute to the development of the project’s online, interactive risk modeling tool, and ensure underlying data and modeling outputs are clear, accurate and user-friendly
Lead publication of academic papers and present results at national conferences
Required Qualifications
A Ph.D. in Applied/Agricultural Economics, Economics, or related field completed by May 2024
Specialization in agricultural economics, statistics, or closely related field
Strong analytical and quantitative skills related to farm-level modeling, Monte Carlo Simulation analysis or similar skills
An understanding of farm management and farm business budgeting
Knowledge of soil health, crop insurance and US agricultural policy a plus
Strong written and oral communication skills
Must also demonstrate the ability to learn, be proactive and motivated, and consistently focus on details and execution.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with farm enterprise/budget analysis
Experience managing large datasets
Knowledge of copula models or bayesian statistics with application to modeling yield risk
Familiarity with searching for and using publicly available agricultural datasets
Comfort with statistical modeling and simulations
Experience with R, Stata, or similar software
Working knowledge of USDA farm program rules is a plus
Application Requirements
Interested individuals should submit the following items to Land Core (operations@landcore.org) and cc Dr. Lawson Connor (lconnor@uark.edu):
A 1-2 page cover letter describing their experience and interest in the position. We encourage including a statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion through research, teaching, and/or service.
A current CV
The names and contact information of three professional references. Letters of reference may be requested for finalists.
Email questions to Land Core (operations@landcore.org)
The position will remain open until filled.
Land Core is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
People who do not identify as gender-male, people who identify as belonging to groups under-represented in STEM fields, and people with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply.