CIMRES’ Post-Doctoral Position for - Linking ecosystem variability to the energetic condition and trophic ecology of key benthic organisms on the north Bering Sea.

POSITION: OSU’s Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies (CIMERS) invites application for a full-time, 12- month Post-Doctoral Scholar position. This position is located on the campus of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, OR, USA. The candidate will work closely with CIMRS staff and NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center scientists from the Fisheries Behavioral Ecology Program (Newport, OR), Recruitment Processes Program (Seattle, WA), and the Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment and Recruitment, Energetics, and Coastal Assessment Programs (Juneau, AK).

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: We seek a highly motivated researcher to develop and implement a collaborative, interdisciplinary project focused on north Bering Sea benthic macroinvertebrate trophic ecology. The northern Bering Sea is the transition zone between the pelagic dominated ecosystem of the southern Bering Sea and the benthic dominated ecosystem of the Chukchi Sea and is the frontline of change in Alaska’s Arctic region. With reduced sea ice, northward advancement of subarctic species, and many marine resource reliant coastal communities, an integrated approach to understanding ecosystem change in the NBS is critical. A team of scientists at the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center recently added a small mesh beam trawl to the annual ecosystem survey to collect previously under-sampled benthic organisms and better understand benthic-pelagic coupling. The new beam trawl survey is expected to help NOAA scientist understand how changing environmental conditions may affect early life history stages of commercially important species (i.e snow crab) and also assess the benthic prey resources (i.e. shrimp) available to northward moving groundfish stocks. This applied project addresses the need for fisheries managers to understand benthic resources and changing food web ecology that in turn informs an ecosystem-based management approach in the northern Bering Sea.

The goal of the successful candidate’s work is to expand our knowledge of benthic resources in the north Bering Sea. A more specific focus may be the impacts of spatio-temporal variability in phytoplankton biomass on the abundance, nutritional condition and trophic biomarkers of epibenthic prey (e.g., snow crab and shrimp).

The candidate would be based at the Fisheries Behavioral Ecology Laboratory in Newport, Oregon, USA. This facility houses one of the best Arctic wet laboratories in the country as well as the Marine Lipid Ecology Lab. We expect the candidate to focus on analyzing field samples but we also welcome opportunities for complimentary laboratory experimental work on benthic organisms such as snow crab. This post-doc position offers the opportunity for a candidate to gain experience in vessel-based field work, laboratory experimentation, and develop expertise in trophic ecology biomarker approaches (lipids and isotopes).

We are interested in applicants with diverse perspectives, are committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and open science, and strive for a culture of understanding, respect, long-term engagement, and accountability.

MINIMUM/REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Doctorate (PhD) in Quantitative Ecology, Statistics, Fisheries Science, Oceanography, Computer Science, Ecology, Natural Sciences or related field
• Previous experience working in collaborative research projects at the interface of marine ecology and management
• Demonstrated experience with chemical analyses, and analytical software (R)
• A commitment to foster inclusion and working with colleagues from diverse background,

cultures, nationalities, and identities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous experience working with lipids and biomarkers (i.e. Bomb calorimetry, total lipids,

fatty acids, isotopes, compound-specific isotopes)

• Previous experience with laboratory experiments on marine organisms
• Previous experience with field work including deploying nets or oceanographic equipment on research cruises
• Familiarity with statistical analyses of oceanographic data
• Knowledge of Sub- Arctic/ Arctic oceanography and ecology
• Record of successful peer-reviewed manuscripts

SALARY: OSU postdoctoral scholar positions start at $55,000 and increase to $60,800 based on years of experience after graduation and qualifications. Health insurance for the incumbent is included and additional health insurance for family members is available at reasonable cost. Travel allowance to annual project meetings is also included. This position does not include retirement benefits.

For more info see: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/postdocs/stipends-and-benefits.

DEPARTMENT: Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies (CIMERS)

LOCATION: Newport, OR (some flexibility for local commuting)

POSITION APPOINTMENT: 100% BASIS: 12-months

POSITION START DATE: January 1st, 2023 or negotiable

POSITION END: December 31,2023 or 12 months after the official start date

POSITION RENEWAL: Annually for up an additional two years depending on available funding

APPLICATION END DATE: Until a suitable candidate is found

FULL CONSIDERATION DATE: December 15, 2023

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT: Please send a cover letter detailing previous relevant academic and research experiences, a CV, and contact info for three references. Send applications to LeAnne Rutland at LeAnne.Rutland[at]oregonstate.edu

For inquiries about the position, please contact Drs. Francis Chan (he/him, Francis.Chan[at]oregonstate.edu) or Louise Copeman (she/her, Louise.Copeman[at]noaa.gov), Rob Suyran (he/him, Rob.Suyran[at]noaa.gov)