Application deadlines: October 31, 2019 (first consideration), December 15, 2019 (second consideration)

Through support of the National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR), the Rhode Island Consortium for Coastal Ecology, Assessment, and Innovation (RI C-AIM) is seeking creative, motivated, and dynamic candidates for one or more Postdoctoral Fellowship positions that bridge key research areas being pursued by RI C-AIM. These positions will be collaborative in nature and may span multiple RI C-AIM institutions with a co-mentoring approach that is focused on training and development for research independence and career success. The primary appointment will be at the University of Rhode Island with secondary appointments at RI C-AIM partner institutions based on the nature of the project.

Postdoctoral Fellows will receive an annual salary of $50,000 plus benefits and an annual stipend of $10,000 for research expenses, including materials and travel. Additional funds will be available for research based on the project. RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellows will also have open access to RI C-AIM computational, analytical, imaging, biological, and environmental core facilities. Positions will be awarded for one year and renewed for a second year based on performance and the availability of funds.

It is anticipated that RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellows will begin between January 1 and June 1, 2020.

RI C-AIM is engaged in interdisciplinary research across eight institutions of higher education within the state, with the goal of assessing the impact of climate change and natural variability on coastal ecosystems by collecting high-resolution, real-time biological and environmental data in Narragansett Bay, relating lab results to field studies, developing comprehensive models to assess and predict changes in coastal ecology that inform decision making, and creating innovative technologies to better monitor and respond to these changes.

RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellows will be expected to participate in and lead collaborative research projects; mentor undergraduate and graduate students; and participate in RI C-AIM meetings, symposia, and workshops. Research and training activities are conducted across RI C-AIM institutions, and RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellows will have the opportunity to collaborate with scholars from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.

Eligible RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellowship projects 

• Modeling of Coastal Marine Ecosystems. Coastal marine ecosystem models combine current ideas of fundamental biogeochemical and ecological processes with physical processes of coastal ocean circulation for the purpose of simulating complex ecosystem dynamics. These models are always simplifications, subject to many unavoidable errors, including ecosystem processes, the functioning of various species within the ecosystem and in specifying conditions used to initialize simulations. We seek expertise in one or more of the following categories:
  • Data Assimilative Modeling: Utilizing methods (e.g. including but not limited to variational techniques and Kalman filter approaches) that can rigorously constrain our Narragansett Bay (NB) ecosystem models with physical, chemical and biological observations from both the extensive historical NB database as well as with data from our recently deployed NB Observatory for the purpose of better approximating the natural ecology of the bay. These assimilative models will be used to: 1) evaluate our model output; 2) help evaluate existing and define new observational foci, including sensor development, for augmenting and optimizing the NB Observatory (e.g. via observing system simulation experiments); and 3) ultimately build a reliable forecast system of, for example, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms and other coastal ecological processes for informing stakeholders on maintaining a healthy bay.
  • “End-to-End” Ecosystem Modeling: Ecosystem models constructed to deal with the effects of anthropogenic climate change and natural climate variability through the higher trophic levels, including human behavior, are needed to quantitatively inform ecosystem-based management. Such “end-to-end” models combine physical and biogeochemical descriptors (e.g., from genomics) and organisms (from microbes to higher trophic level organisms including humans) in a single modeling framework. Issues that the successful candidate will need to address include: 1) the formulation of zooplankton sub-models; 2) dealing with the distinctively different temporal and spatial scales associated with the various trophic levels; 3) component trophic level model coupling; and 4) model skill assessment.
  • Lower Trophic Level Modeling: The next generation of lower trophic level (LTL) models should be designed to break away from the a-priori specification of functional groups (the so-called Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus box models) to an approach that can better address the “natural selection” of ecosystem functioning associated with the various LTL communities. Beyond the construction of these next generation LTL models we are also interested in how to quantitatively use genomics to better describe the various LTL functioning.
• Field-deployable device development for sensitive and continuous detection of marine pollutants in Narragansett Bay. Reliable data with high spatiotemporal resolution is needed to better assess, model, predict, and respond to the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems. New chemical sensors based on micro- and nano-structured materials and devices show great promise for achieving the spatiotemporal resolution needed, but strategies are needed to enable field deployment. This includes improving analyte selectivity and minimizing interference, minimizing power requirements and cost, preventing biofouling, and benchmarking sensor and device stability to enabling long-term operation. Equally important is the ability to acquire and transmit data in real-time, and developing online systems for sensor fault identification and correction to enable rapidly deployable sensor networks. This interdisciplinary postdoctoral project will focus on the development and deployment of sensing devices integrating Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering substrates within microfluidic platforms for continuous online detection of nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate. The postdoctoral fellow will co-lead a team of undergraduate and graduate students across RI C-AIM institutions working on various aspects of Research Thrust 3: Enabling Technologies, and will also catalyze information-sharing and collaboration across Research Thrusts so that ecological and modeling research informs sensor development and deployment.

RI C-AIM is committed to diversity and inclusion across all project elements. We believe that research excellence requires equitable access to opportunities and is advanced by diverse cultural, personal, social, and economic experiences. A commitment to promote and practice these values will be a key criterion for selecting RI C-AIM Postdoctoral Fellows.

Required Qualifications: 

• A Ph.D. or completion of a Ph.D. at the time of appointment in a science or engineering field.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct, publish, and present basic or applied research in science or engineering related to the project(s) of interest.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and lead independent research projects.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor student research assistants.
• Evidence of a commitment to advancing the diversity and inclusion goals of RI C-AIM. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience working within research centers or on larger-scale collaborative research projects.
• Demonstrated commitment to engaging and broadening participation of diverse students and researchers.

Application Instructions: All applications are to be submitted by email to Sally J. Beauman, RI NSF EPSCoR/RI C-AIM Project Administrator, at sbeauman@uri.edu.

October 31, 2019 is the deadline for first consideration and December 15, 2019 is the deadline for second consideration.

The following material is required as a single PDF document titled “Lastname_CAIM postdoc.pdf”:

• Cover letter listing the eligible project or projects you are applying for; describing your interest in the position; describing your commitment to diversity and inclusion; and addressing how the Postdoctoral Fellowship will advance your career goals.
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Names and contact information for four references. These individuals should be familiar with your work, your potential as a leader in your field, your ability to mentor and provide a supporting research environment, and your commitment to diversity and inclusion.

For additional information please contact Sally J. Beauman at sbeauman@uri.edu with reference to the project title in subject line.

The University of Rhode Island is an AA/EEOD employer. Women, persons of color, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other protected groups’ members are encouraged to apply. This material is based upon work supported in part by the National Science Foundation under EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement #OIA-1655221. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.