Animals routinely make decisions that affect their fitness, yet they do not always choose the optimal option. This NSF-funded project examines choice overload, a phenomenon in which decision-makers become overwhelmed by the number or complexity of available options, resulting in suboptimal decisions, delayed decisions, or failure to choose at all. The project will investigate three proposed drivers of choice overload: decision task difficulty, assortment complexity, and preference uncertainty. Using bumblebees as an experimental system, the postdoctoral researcher will conduct behavioral experiments that test how nectar rewards and other biologically relevant floral traits influence foraging decisions and decision quality.

The successful candidate will work closely with Dr. Claire Hemingway and project collaborators while contributing to experimental design, data collection, quantitative analyses, and dissemination of findings. This work is expected to advance understanding of animal decision making, behavioral ecology, cognition, and pollinator biology.

The anticipated start date is 11/1/2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. Funding is available for 2.5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued availability of funding. The initial appointment will be for one year and will serve as a probationary period, with continuation subject to successful performance review.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• PhD in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, Animal Behavior, Neurobiology, Environmental Science, or related discipline.

• ABD candidates will be considered if all degree requirements are completed before the start date.

Experience:

• Experience conducting biological research and quantitative data analysis.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and statistical skills

• Experience using R, Python, MATLAB, or similar software for data analysis

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively

• Ability to communicate scientific findings effectively

• Ability to manage research projects

• Ability to contribute to a positive laboratory environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with pollinators, insects, or other invertebrate study systems

  • Experience conducting behavioral assays and animal choice experiments

    • Experience with animal cognition, decision-making, sensory ecology, or behavioral ecology research

      • Strong quantitative background, including mixed modeling, experimental design, or computational approaches

      • Experience managing independent research projects from conception to publication

      • Interest in developing independent research questions related to animal decision making, cognition, and behavioral ecology

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• Anticipated hiring range: $60,000-$62,000

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

For full consideration, the following application materials should be included in the online application:

• Curriculum vitae

• Cover letter that includes:

  • the candidate’s educational background and prior research experience,

  • current research focus and future research goals, including what topic(s) they hope to pursue as a postdoc in the Hemingway Lab

  • perceived competencies and experience in relevant skills, including scientific writing, coding, statistical analysis, and experimental methods,

  • what they hope to gain from this position and how it will support their long-term development as a scientist

• A PDF of a first-author publication (published or in press)

• Two letters of recommendation emailed by your recommender directly to Dr. Claire Hemingway (chemingw@utk.edu).

About The Department

EEB is in the top 10% of ecology programs in North America based on research impact (Keville et al., 2017), ahead of peer institutions such as UCLA and UC San Diego. Our faculty and students come from around the globe. Our faculty is a mix of internationally known senior researchers and an energetic group of junior faculty at the cutting edges of their fields. We train graduate and undergraduate students with research interests in ecology, evolutionary biology, animal behavior, conservation biology, behavioral and population genetics, computational biology, development of theory for evolution and ecology, ecosystem and community ecology, global change biology, diverse areas of organismal biology, and biology education.

The postdoctoral research position will involve collaborative experimental design, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and participation in the development of external funding proposals. The successful candidate will lead experiments examining decision-making and choice overload in bumblebees, including studies of how decision task difficulty, assortment complexity, and preference uncertainty influence foraging behavior and decision outcomes. Responsibilities will include developing and conducting behavioral experiments, managing and analyzing data using reproducible research practices, publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals, and presenting research at scientific conferences. The postdoc will provide mentorship to undergraduate and graduate researchers in the lab and contribute to maintaining a collaborative, productive, and positive research environment. The position will also provide opportunities to participate in project outreach activities focused on animal behavior and decision-making science.

Research in the Hemingway Lab combines controlled behavioral experiments with quantitative and evolutionary approaches to understand how animals make decisions in complex environments. This position requires full-time, in-person work and will primarily involve laboratory-based research using bumblebees, with opportunities for collaborative research across study systems and disciplines. Candidates should be enthusiastic about animal behavior, experimental research, and quantitative analysis.

UTK is home to an interdisciplinary community of behavioral scholars called the Collaborative for Animal Behavior (CoLAB), which provides outstanding opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, professional development, and networking with researchers across a broad range of behavioral disciplines. Located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and many other natural areas, Knoxville offers exceptional access to outdoor recreation while also supporting a vibrant arts, food, and music community.