The UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science invites applications for its 2026 Postdoctoral Fellowship in California Conservation Science. We seek to hire one or more postdoctoral scholars who conduct innovative biological research at the interface of applied and basic science. Our long-term goal is to help fund a cadre of innovative young scientists who will work closely with UCLA faculty, help broaden the mission of conservation science for the campus, and lead to long-term collaborations between our academic scientists and applied conservation practitioners that will direct and lead California conservation efforts.

Candidates may work in any discipline that provides the scientific underpinnings for the preservation, protection, management, or restoration of at-risk species, environments, or ecological communities in California. Current and past La Kretz Postdocs have worked on a wide variety of research topics, ranging from urban biodiversity and evolutionary adaptation, to wildfire management and conservation, to the interface of conservation and animal behavior; we are open to work in any California ecosystem or group of organisms, as long as the research is innovative, creative, and has clear practical significance. An important initiative, the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP), is a large, multi-campus initiative led by the La Kretz Center that is delivering genomic resources to California decision-makers to enhance species and habitat management, and candidates may seek to build off of that project in the realm of conservation genomics. For a full description of past fellows and their work, please visit us at https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/lakretz/

Fellows must have both an on-campus UCLA mentor, and an off-campus, non-university mentor. The on-campus UCLA mentor must also be a La Kretz Center affiliate. A list of applicable affiliates is available at https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/lakretz/people/.

The Fellow is expected to work closely with their identified UCLA mentor and one or more off-campus agency partner(s) in developing their project. All applications should include a letter (which may be brief) from each mentor stating their support for the project, what they can contribute to it, and how it fits into their work in conservation biology. Applications that do not include these letters of support will be considered incomplete and ineligible for consideration, and we strongly advise candidates to secure mentor support as early as possible. While we encourage project proponents to identify co-funding, from mentors or other agencies,co-funding is not a requirement. Off-campus mentors may be drawn from any California agency or NGO, including federal and state groups. A partial list of some of our active partners and contact people includes:

- The Nature Conservancy: Sophie Parker (restoration; urban conservation; invasive species)
Note: TNC has been a particularly active partner and co-funder in recent years, and we encourage applicants working with TNC mentors to consult: https://tnc.box.com/s/uetrddu6sncp3nipgn8a1hh6fi3jisgi
- LA Natural History Museum: Jann Vendetti (mollusk ecology and evolution; species natural history)
- US Geological Survey: Robert Fisher (applied conservation; biodiversity; ecology and evolution)
- US Bureau of Land Management: Mike Westphal (applied conservation, climate change)
- US Fish and Wildlife Service: Cat Darst (endangered species management)
- Natural Communities Coalition: James Sulentich/Danny L. Fry (protection/recovery of sensitive species)
- National Park Service: Katy Delaney (amphibian and avian ecology, evolution, and conservation)
- National Park Service: Seth Riley (mammalian ecology, evolution, and conservation)
- Department of Defense: Robert Lovich (conservation on Dept. of Defense lands)

The La Kretz Fellowship is for a period of two years, subject to review after the first year. The target start date is September 2026, but this date is quite flexible. The position offers a competitive salary, full benefits, and a research/travel allowance of $7,500. Candidates who have recently completed their Ph.D. or will have completed it before their start date are encouraged to apply.

To apply, please send applications to [email protected] as a single PDF file that includes:

(i) Cover Letter: Briefly introducing yourself and your project
(ii) CV: Composed of your work and accomplishments.
(iii) Research and Management Accomplishments Statement (maximum one page)
(iv) Project Proposal: Lays out, in some detail, your project (e.g., motivation, methods, expected outcomes/results), why this work is important to academic and applied audiences, and how it integrates with the research of your mentors (maximum three pages, including figures and references)
(v) Letters of Support: A brief letter from your on-campus UCLA mentor AND your off-campus agency/NGO mentor
(vi) Two of Your Relevant Publications.

In addition, have:

(vii) Two Letters of Reference: One letter must be from your Ph.D. advisor. Note, reference letters are in addition to the letters of support from your proposed mentors. Please arrange to have reference letters emailed to [email protected] with the subject line “La Kretz Postdoc letter for (your last name)”.

The deadline for completed applications is September 15th, 2025 at 5pm (PST).

Please email all questions to Brad Shaffer, Director of the La Kretz Center, at [email protected].