Employment & Opportunities

Paleoceanography Postdoctoral Researcher - Iowa State University

The Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher in the area of paleoceanography and climate science under the supervision of Dr. Alan Wanamaker (Principle Investigator, PI). This position is part of on a multi-institutional National Science Foundation research grant (Collaborative Research: Using multi-proxy paleo data to constrain natural and anthropogenic hydrographic variability in the Gulf of Maine System over the last 250 years). Co-PIs include Dr. Michèle LaVigne (Bowdoin College, Maine), Dr. Branwen Williams (Claremont Colleges, California), and team collaborator Dr. Joe Stewart (Bristol University, UK). The appointment is expected to be for 2 years.

The successful candidate will have research experience in isotope geochemistry, oceanography, and/or climate change/paleoclimate. The individual will work closely with the team of researchers and students to meet proposal objectives. The postdoctoral researcher will participate in all aspects of the project and lead the writing of manuscripts in consultation with PIs. Additionally, the postdoctoral researcher will have several opportunities to develop additional technical and professional skills. The primary place of duties will be at Iowa State University, however, part of the duties will include overseeing culture experiments at Bowdoin College in Maine at the Schiller Coastal Studies Center.

Responsibilities include: developing paleo proxy records, contributing to culture experiments (growing Arctica islandica clams and Clathromorphum compactum crustose coralline algae under controlled conditions); data generation, analyses and synthesis; field work; author peer-reviewed journal articles and communicate scientific results to collaborators and peers; mentor undergraduate students.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD degree in Geology, Oceanography, Climate Science or closely related field (at time of appointment).
• Demonstrated expertise in the study of Earth’s climate system with familiarity of past, present, and future climates.
• Established publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate with a team.
• Evidence of ability to work effectively with diverse student, faculty, and staff populations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with proxy-based research.
• Experience in sclerochronology or dendrochronology.
• Experience using isotope geochemistry methods.
• Experience with culturing experiments.

If you have questions regarding the position, please email Al Wanamaker ( ). If you have questions regarding the application process, please email or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Apply here.

Two postdoctoral positions in zooplankton ecology and food web ecology - International Year of the Salmon

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) is a multi-nation initiative working towards a vision of salmon and people being resilient in a changing world. We are seeking postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) to work on two key and related aspects of high seas Pacific salmon ecosystems 1) Zooplankton ecology and 2) food web dynamics.

PDF 1: North Pacific Zooplankton Ecology

We are seeking a PDF to investigate key aspects of zooplankton ecology in the North Pacific and develop zooplankton resources in support of salmon research, through the following sub-objectives:

1. Multivariate analysis of the zooplankton communities for the winter 2019 and 2020 IYS expeditions in the Eastern Pacific, resolving spatial variability and its relationship to oceanographic features defined using physical, chemical, and satellite data. Zooplankton biomass and species level taxonomic analyses have already been completed and are immediately available.
2. Consolidation, curation, and standardization of available historic data on zooplankton for the North Pacific, combining Canadian, US, Russian and Japanese sources, for analysis of long-term change in the North Pacific. Database consolidation will be supported by a UBC co-op student.
3. Inter-comparison of core net sampling gears (Bongo Net vertical & oblique, MOCNESS, JUDAY) used by NPAFC member nations, using existing data sets from US, Canada, Japan and Russia; coordination of strategy for additional inter-comparisons among participating nations in 2021/22.

The PDF is expected to play a lead role in organizing the zooplankton sampling for the 2022 IYS expeditions in the North Pacific, and to participate in at least one of the expeditions; to interface with the IYS database development team in producing open access data products; to contribute to outreach activities communicating IYS research and findings.

Ideal qualifications: A PhD (completed by the time of appointment) in biological oceanography or related discipline. Expertise in multivariate analyses, handling of oceanographic data, and zooplankton ecology; field oceanography experience.

Technical skills required: Programming (R, MATLAB®, python), statistical analysis, analysis of multi-dimensional large data sets, data management, field oceanography techniques.

PDF 2: North Pacific Food Webs

We are seeking a PDF to research the winter feeding ecology of Pacific salmon and the food webs that support them using biogeochemical approaches (stable isotopes and fatty acids). This PDF’s objectives will include:

1. Development of an empirical framework for North Pacific pelagic food web structure, using a combination of stable isotope and fatty acid trophic markers. The established trophic structure will provided a framework for ecosystem model development.
2. Analysis of spatial and temporal dynamics of Pacific salmon species dietary overlap and competition, and life history changes in these interactions. Interpretation through stable isotope and fatty acid analysis, augmented by comprehensive stomach content data sets.

The PDF is expected to play a lead role in organizing the food web sampling for the 2022 IYS expeditions in the North Pacific, and to participate in at least one of the expeditions; to interface with the IYS database development team in producing open access data products; to contribute to outreach activities communicating IYS research and findings.

Ideal qualifications: A PhD (completed by the time of appointment) in biological / fisheries oceanography or related discipline. Expertise in stable isotope and / or fatty acid analyses, food web and pelagic ecology; experience in developing and applying multi-source mixing models, experience in Ecopath with Ecosim.

Technical skills required: Programming (R, MATLAB®, python), statistical analysis, data management, field methods.

Applicants must submit:

• A CV, including the e-mail and phone number for three references;
• A short cover letter explaining the applicant’s motivation for working on the project and how previous experience qualifies them for this position;
• A copy of the PhD thesis;
• Reprints of 3 published papers, if available;
• Confirmation of ability to work in Canada.

Submit applications to: Brian Hunt ( ) and Evgeny Pakhomov ( )

For further information, please see this page.

Equity and diversity are essential for academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nations, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

Director - World Data Service for Paleoclimatology

NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) has opened four vacancies in its Climatic Science and Services Division. These positions are all classified as Physical Scientist at the ZP-1301-04 level (equivalent to GS 13-14). Three of these positions are located in Asheville, NC, and one in Boulder, CO.

Paleoclimate: This position will serve as the Director of the World Data Service for Paleoclimatology and as the lead of the Paleoclimatology team. (This position will be in Boulder because all NCEI federal Paleoclimatology staff are currently located in Boulder)

Reanalysis: This position will address interoperable, analysis-ready data in the cloud, with an emphasis on spatially complete products derived from statistical and physical climate and reanalysis models.

Extremes: This position will address high impact and societally relevant events such as heat waves, wildfires, and heavy precipitation, including support of NOAA attribution initiatives.

Socioeconomic: This position will focus on the development of products and services that merge environmental and social science data from across NOAA, the federal government, and private sector.

The application window closes on 16 February 2021. Additional information and application instructions can be found here.

2-Year Postdoctoral Fellowship - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG)

The Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG) invites applications for a 2-Year Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research in any field in the area of aquatic science and technology.

The postdoctoral fellow will be hosted within one of Eawag’s 12 Research Departments (see Organization).

Selection of the postdoctoral fellow will be based on the research proposal and academic record of the candidate. Please note that this fellowship is not intended to support the extension of a current collaboration between an applicant and Eawag colleagues.

Qualified candidates have been granted a doctoral degree not more than 2 years before the application deadline. The application must include:

• a brief letter that includes the title of the proposed postdoctoral project and a brief abstract (not to exceed 250 words) written for a reader who is not an expert in the topic. This letter should also identify the Research Department that the candidate considers would be an appropriate host for the project. Note that the necessary infrastructure for the proposed project must be available at Eawag
• a curriculum vitae including a list of publications
• a 3-page proposal (including references) describing the research project to be conducted during the fellowship. A font size of at least 10-point Arial (or equivalent) and margins of at least 2.5cm are required. Support for expenses related to the project (approximately 10K CHF/year) will be provided
• names and contact information for two academic references

The deadline for applications is 7 April 2021. The decision will be made by the end of June. It is anticipated that the starting date for the postdoctoral fellowship will be between autumn/winter 2021/2022. Please click here for the application form.