Do not reply to sender, please contact Dr. Phillip Levin, [email protected]
Postdoctoral and Post-masters Quantitative Ecology and Ecosystem
Modeling Positions
NOAA-Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center (Seattle)
Conservation Biology Division, Integrated Marine Ecology Team
The Integrated Marine Ecology Team of the Northwest Fisheries Science
Center (http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/) is seeking THREE QUANTITATIVE
ECOLOGISTS OR ECOSYSTEM MODELERS to contribute to NOAA's Integrated
Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) work in the California Current Large Marine
Ecosystem. As part of the IEAs, we will perform single-species and
community-level risk assessments, identify ecosystem indicators, test
monitoring schemes, and evaluate management strategies. Appointment
will be made at the post-doc or post-M.S. level with salary
commensurate with experience. U. S. citizenship is required. We seek
two postdoctoral researchers and one masters-level scientist, with
strong backgrounds in quantitative ecology, who wish to develop and
contribute to cutting-edge statistical and simulation models for
marine systems.
Candidates should be interested and qualified in one or more of the following:
Ecosystem modeling:
We have developed Atlantis ecosystem simulation models
(http://atlantis.cmar.csiro.au/) for the California Current and the
Central California Coast. We are using the models for simulation
testing of alternative ecosystem-based management strategies for this
region. Our research includes identifying and testing ecological
indicators and monitoring strategies for the California Current,
considering potential fishery management options and effects on
ecosystem services, and considering tradeoffs or benefits of the
interrelated policies of multiple state and federal agencies, in terms
of economic, ecological, and social metrics.
The new position will largely involve using the Atlantis ecosystem
modeling code to support NOAA's Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA)
work on the west coast and Puget Sound. The new team member’s primary
responsibility will be applying two existing Atlantis ecosystem
models, published as Brand et al.
(http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/displayallinfo.cfm?docmetadataid=6677)
and Horne et al. (in press). This will involve identifying and
testing ecosystem indicators, and use of the models as decision
support tools to evaluate potential management strategies.
Quantitative ecology
We are seeking team members with strong backgrounds in statistics to
contribute to a series of single species and community-level analyses
within the IEA framework. These analyses will help define the status,
susceptibility, and vulnerability of species, communities, and
ecosystem function. The work will make use of existing data sets and
expand beyond classic single-species conservation approaches such as
population viability analysis.
Population and community modeling
We are seeking team members who are interested in building population
or simple community models in the context of Management Strategy
Evaluation or Closed Loop Analysis. We envision the development of
“minimum realistic models” that could be used to simulate various
management strategies. Such models will compliment the
whole-ecosystem models described above because their relative
simplicity will allow for careful consideration of uncertainty. As
resource managers develop specific ecosystem-based management schemes,
these models will provide a key tool for evaluating specific
strategies.
Expectations
For postdoctoral associates, deliverables will include both
peer-reviewed publications and white papers for use in management. On
a daily basis, the positions will involve computer programming,
statistical analyses and parameter estimation, data and output
visualization, and writing manuscripts.
For masters-level technicians, deliverables will include contributing
to joint publications. On a daily basis, the position will involve
computer programming, statistical analyses and parameter estimation,
data entry and output visualization, and contributing to the writing
of manuscripts.
About our Integrated Marine Ecology Team (http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov)
We are part of NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Conservation
Biology Division, Ecosystem Science Program in Seattle. Our team’s
goal is to research the ecological interactions and processes
necessary to sustain ecosystem composition, structure and function in
marine environments. We draw upon expertise from within and outside
the NWFSC to address the following five research foci:
• Interactions of target fish stocks with predators, competitors and prey
• The effects of weather and climate on target species and their
ecological communities
• The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems and fish habitat
• Interactions between fishes and their habitat
• Marine Protected Areas as a fisheries conservation and management tool
Term Funding is currently for 1 year.
Location Seattle, Washington, USA
Qualifications: Ph.D. or M.S. in ecology, fisheries science, or
similar discipline. All candidates should also have a proven track
record of collaborative research, and a quantitative background in
statistics and computing (languages such as R, Matlab, or Visual
Basic). Postdoctoral applicants should have a strong publication
record. For the ecosystem modeling position, experience with food web
modeling and C/C++ is preferred. Quantitative ecologist and population
dynamics applicants should have relevant experience such as
multivariate statistics, time series analysis, parameter estimation,
likelihood methods, stock assessment, or differential equation
modeling.
Salary Commensurate with experience and position.
We will begin reviewing applications March 1, 2010.
Contact Please email a cover letter, curriculum vitae, all university
transcripts (unofficial is OK), and 3 letters of recommendation to Dr.
Phillip Levin [email protected]
