Opportunities

Current opportunities: 1

1. Postdoctoral Scholar in predictability of Earth system and ecosystem models

The Integrative Oceanography Division of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California, San Diego invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to examine the effects of climate variability on marine fishes and ecosystems as a participant in a NOAA-funded project. Our project objective is to examine the predictability of fish and fisheries-relevant environmental variables such as export production and secondary production using Earth system models (ESMs) coupled to a fish and marine ecosystem model (FEISTY). This position will provide an opportunity to advance the understanding of the controls over regional and temporal predictability of biogeochemical and fish fields, and explore multi-year prediction capabilities of the coupled models as well as their application to fisheries management.

The position will also enable the postdoctoral scholar the opportunity to collaborate with the NOAA MAPP Marine Ecosystems Task Force associated with the project funding as well as two other closely related projects led by Drs. Matt Long and Samantha Siedlecki pertaining to modeling feedbacks between fish and biogeochemistry in ESMs. The successful candidate will have a working knowledge of climate-ocean interactions, ocean biogeochemical cycling, and plankton food-web dynamics in the context of fisheries oceanography, and expertise in programming, large data set analysis, and model evaluation. The position will be located at the SIO campus in La Jolla working predominately with the laboratory of Dr. Colleen Petrik, with opportunities to travel to NCAR in Boulder, Colorado to work with the project co-PIs. In addition to your research training, UC San Diego Office of Postdoctoral Scholar Affairs offers professional development and career training opportunities to ensure you achieve the highest level of academic and research excellence. Additional information is on the UCSD postdoctoral website.

Minimum qualifications

  • Doctoral degree in Oceanography, or a closely related field (e.g. Physics, Earth Sciences, Ecology);
  • Proficient in scientific programming (Python, Matlab, or similar);
  • Understanding of climate-ocean interactions, ocean biogeochemical cycling, and plankton food-web dynamics in the context of fisheries oceanography;
  • Strong quantitative skills;
  • Ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills;
  • Publications in peer-reviewed journals related to the minimum qualifications;
  • Ability to pursue research independently.

Preferred qualifications

  • Experience with analyzing large physical, biogeochemical, and/or fisheries observational data sets to inform modeling;
  • Experience with developing, analyzing, and evaluating coupled physical-biological models;
  • Familiarity with code repositories (e.g. git) and Pangeo tools (e.g. JupyterLab, Xarray, Dask, netCDF);
  • Demonstrated experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate students;
  • Ability to travel to NCAR for a minimum of one week per year.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Analyze model output and evaluate model performance using model reanalyses and observational data;
  • Quantify regional predictability of model fields on seasonal-to-decadal timescales;
  • Compile datasets of plankton and fish biomasses from fisheries- independent observations;
  • Publish research in peer-reviewed journals and present results at national and international conferences.

Appointment terms and conditions:  This Postdoctoral Scholar position is contingent upon evidence of a doctoral degree, stated research qualifications, and documentation of employment eligibility in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Becoming a member of the UC San Diego community, you will be responsible for reviewing, understanding and following campus policies, guidelines, appointment expectations, collective bargaining agreement and research regulations.  The university is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and is committed to maintaining an atmosphere that is free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and exploitation.

To Apply: email (cpetrik@ucsd.edu) a SINGLE PDF with a cover letter, CV, and contact information for 3 references with the subject: “ecosystem prediction postdoc position”. Applicant screening will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.