TWO POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT THE SMITHSONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER

Funding is available for two post-doctoral researchers to work with Denise Breitburg’s Marine & Estuarine Ecology Lab at SERC.

SHALLOW WATER HYPOXIA – TIPPING THE BALANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS, POPULATIONS AND ECOSYSTEMS.

A position is available to design and conduct field and laboratory research on the effects of diel-cycling hypoxia and the accompanying diel-cycling pH on estuarine fish, shellfish and food webs. This is the start of a new 5-year research program that focuses on the effects of hypoxia in shallow portions of estuaries on a range of processes including oyster disease, juvenile fish growth, fish reproduction and behavior. The postdoc will also have the opportunity to collaborate in modeling that will use experiment and field-sampling results to predict effects at the scale of populations and the Chesapeake Bay food web. Field work will focus on Chesapeake Bay and the Maryland coastal bays. However, the research addresses issues that are of general interest to management of estuarine and coastal waters, as well as basic issues in ecology related to the relationships among spatial variation in the environment, responses of individual organisms, and effects seen at the scale of populations and food webs. I am seeking a candidate with broad interests in fundamental issues in ecology and restoration/environmental management.

EFFECTS OF LAND USE AND SHORELINE MODIFICATION ON ESTUARINE FISH AND FOOD WEBS - START DATE AND APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED

A postdoctoral position is available for a highly qualified individual to join a multidisciplinary team of scientists on a study that seeks to understand the effects of land use and shoreline modification on estuarine fish and food webs. Increasing human populations in the coastal zone, along with pressures to harden shorelines in response to erosion and sea level rise, are greatly altering estuarine habitats and water quality. A major question is how the combination of these stressors will affect estuarine fish populations. Field work will focus on Chesapeake Bay and the Maryland coastal bays, but the goal of the research program is to address issues with broader geographic relevance.The successful candidate will lead field sampling designed to examine the abundances, species composition and distributions of fishes relative to different shoreline types and land uses, and will design complementary research incorporating the candidates interests and expertise. The post-doc will have the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of scientists with expertise in spatial ecology, food webs, wetlands and biogeochemistry. We are seeking a candidate with expertise in fish ecology who can add a new dimension to the program to complement routine sampling. Possibilities include, but are not limited to areas such as parasitology and/or fish health, spatial ecology, modeling and physiology. The successful applicant will work will Denise Breitburg and other PIs to develop observational and experimental studies relevant to both environmental management and basic questions in ecology.

QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates for both positions should hold a Ph.D. with specialization in estuarine or marine ecology, fisheries, fish ecology, or a closely related field. Publication of research in the peer-reviewed literature will be a major factor in selecting the successful candidate.

APPLICATION INFORMATION: The initial appointments are for one year with full benefits and a competitive stipend, and continued funding is available for an additional 1-2 years provided satisfactory progress. The positions are available Spring 2011 and candidates should be able to begin the fellowships by June 2011.

Please send CV, brief statement of research interests, and contact information for 3 people who can provide references to Denise Breitburg ([email protected]). Be sure to indicate which position you are applying to (hypoxia or shoreline modification). Preference will be given to applications received by March 4.

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