Rodale Institute · 1 day ago
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Organic Hazelnut Systems & Agroforestry
Kutztown, PA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior LevelRodale Institute invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support and expand its Perennial Research Program, focusing on advancing organic hazelnut production and agroforestry systems. The successful candidate will lead applied field-based research evaluating the performance of hazelnut systems and contribute to outreach and extension efforts.
Non ProfitFood and BeverageConsultingAgricultureMarketingConsumer ResearchOrganic
Responsibilities
Conduct and coordinate applied research within existing field experiments focused on hazelnut orchard establishment, alley cropping systems, cultivar trials, soil health, and drone-based aerial phenotyping
Support the development of enterprise budgets and economic models for small- and mid-scale organic hazelnut production systems in Pennsylvania and the Northeastern United States
Integrate multispectral aerial imaging with ground-based measurements to model tree stress, weed biomass, and intercrop performance within hazelnut alley-cropping systems
Perform statistical and multivariate analyses of horticultural, soil, aerial imaging, and environmental datasets using R and Python
Collaborate closely with researchers and partners at universities, non-profit organizations, and grower networks, including expertise in plant breeding, weed science, soil health, and agroforestry
Contribute to grant reporting, project coordination, and proposal development to support the growth of the Perennial Research Program
Translate research outcomes into grower-facing materials, including fact sheets, presentations, and extension publications while supporting field days, workshops, webinars, and grower meetings
Publish research findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present results at academic and industry conferences
Supervise interns and work closely with Research Technicians and Farm Operations staff to coordinate research orchard maintenance and data collection
Qualification
Required
Ph.D. in Horticulture, Agronomy, Soil Science, Environmental Science, Ecology, or a closely related field
Demonstrated experience designing and conducting high-quality, applied field research in agricultural or ecological systems
Strong quantitative skills and experience analyzing large, high-dimensional datasets
High proficiency in R statistical software, mixed linear modeling, and data visualization
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both scientific and grower audiences
An enthusiastic, cooperative, and flexible mindset, ready to take on new challenges with a positive attitude
Preferred
Experience with drone-based data collection and/or processing of aerial imagery for agricultural or ecological applications
Experience using Python for data analysis, image processing, and modeling, including reproducible computational workflows and environment management
Experience with the development of enterprise budgets, farm economics, or life-cycle assessment (LCA) for agricultural or natural resource systems
Demonstrated record of research leadership, including mentoring, collaboration, or initiative-taking within interdisciplinary or peer research communities
Company
Rodale Institute
Rodale Institute is a non-profit organization that focuses on research, farmer training, and consumer education.
Founded in 1947
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Rodale Institute has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
2023 (1)
2022 (5)
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$2.5MKey Investors
California Department of Food and Agriculture
2024-09-17Grant· $2.5M
Leadership Team
Corinne Murphy
Partnership Strategy and Development
Recent News
2025-11-26
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