IOCS is searching for a talented, forward-thinking candidate to join our team as a Research Scientist or Senior Postdoc. We are looking for someone with sharp and versitile quantitative skills to lead our eDNA and fisheries survey work in Shinnecock Bay, NY. It is a great opportunity to dig into rich datasets, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and be part of a prestigious team of scientists at ShiRP and SoMAS!
Apply here.
The Institute for Ocean Conservation Science (IOCS) at Stony Brook University is seeking to hire a Senior Postdoctoral Associate to participate in the execution and analysis of innovative ecosystem assessments in and beyond Shinnecock Bay, NY in the context of a long running (12+ year) time series of assessment and restoration efforts. Data collected previously and over the course of the next several years will provide a comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity, composition, abundance, and spatial distribution of species throughout the bay and both inside and outside restoration areas. Prior research has employed eDNA assessment (4 years) and a trawl survey (11 years). Over the next several years we will expand our eDNA research and incorporate the use of un-crewed maritime systems (UMSs) equipped with a variety of sensors to enable more comprehensive and automated ecosystem assessment including biodiversity, abundance, habitat type and extent, water quality and other environmental data. The incumbent will join a multidisciplinary team of researchers who have been studying the bay together for more than a decade, and whose work has resulted in major restoration of Shinnecock Bay. The success of the restoration was a major factor in Shinnecock Bay’s designation as a globally recognized Hope Spot by the organization Mission Blue led by Dr. Sylvia Earle. The candidate will join a team with a strong track record of producing groundbreaking publications that have high citation rates and real world impact. This position represents a unique opportunity for an early career scientist to learn, contribute, manage, network, build a publication record. The position is housed within Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) and is funded through the Research Foundation of SUNY.
The candidate must be proficient and comfortable preparing for and leading six trawls per summer including a small crew of graduate students and volunteers. The candidate must also be proficient and comfortable leading eDNA water sample collection via a small vessel, managing filtration and extraction in the laboratory, conducting bioinformatic analysis, and producing graphic and written results. The successful incumbent will have excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently with minimal supervision at times, foresight and good judgment, working well within a team and as a leader, and an ability to troubleshoot issues in the field and during analysis. The candidate must be able to work effectively in a fast-paced work environment during certain times of the year when deadlines are imminent. The candidate is expected to contribute as a thought leader, work well with other researchers associated with the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program, and be willing to participate in broader efforts that support Shinnecock Bay as a globally recognized Hope Spot.