Research Associate-Fixed Term

### Position Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral researcher to join our team working on behavior and welfare, with a particular focus on cage free laying hens and use of technology to capture animal responses. The candidate will work with faculty, technicians, and students to examine patterns of laying hen behavior and resource use as influenced by housing design and management strategies. The candidate will lead data collection related to capturing performance of behaviors in the litter area related to hen welfare, including space-intensive dynamic behaviors.

The postdoc is expected to have training and experience in poultry biology and management, applied ethology, statistics, and animal welfare. Furthermore, the candidate should have expertise in using behavior decoding software, excellent communication skills, experience working with producers, a desire to mentor others, and be self-motivated, organized, collegial, and adaptable. The candidate is expected to oversee a team collecting behavioral data, including performing training, checking data quality, analyzing data, and integrating their work with findings of other team members, including graduate students. The candidate will interface with other postdocs working on computer vision and human dimensions and should have a basic understanding of Python to facilitate collaboration on projects.

The candidate will prepare publications for high impact journals and present at scientific conferences in addition to translating information for outreach publications and discussions industry stakeholders. Additional professional development opportunities will include mentoring students, writing grant proposals, interfacing with producers, and guest lecturing. The candidate will also be expected to work collaboratively with team members working with different species on other projects, including precision livestock farming, human dimensions, stress resilience, and environmental sustainability.

### Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

### Required Degree

Doctorate

### Minimum Requirements

The postdoc is expected to have training and experience in poultry biology and management, applied ethology, statistics, and animal welfare.

### Required Application Materials

CV, Cover letter, names of 3 references

### Special Instructions

Apply at careers.msu.edu

### MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.