Postdoctoral Research Associate – Diadema sea urchin aquaculture (67008)

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is committed to creating an environment that affirms diversity across a variety of dimensions, including ability, class, ethnicity/race, gender identity and expression. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. We strongly encourage historically underrepresented groups to apply.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

The long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum was historically an important macroalgae grazer on Caribbean coral reefs. Populations remain severely reduced following a widespread die-off in the early 1980s. We have been working since 2018 to create scalable aquaculture techniques for the long spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum, with the ultimate goal of developing restocking as a potential tool in the coral reef restoration portfolio. A postdoctoral research associate position is available in the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida. The Diadema culture team also includes staff from The Florida Aquarium. This NOAA-funded position is with the lab of Dr. Joshua Patterson.

We seek a highly motivated individual with a positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and a good work-ethic. The Patterson lab is housed at the Center for Conservation, where The Florida Aquarium manages world-class facilities including coral nursery greenhouses holding adult Diadema broodstock and a climate-controlled Diadema culture laboratory. Specific duties include project management, design and execution of research to improve Diadema aquaculture, data analysis, publication of experimental results, and mentoring staff and a current Ph.D. student. We also have strong external partnerships beyond The Florida Aquarium, which the selected candidate will work to maintain.

The School of Forest Resources and Conservation is an interdisciplinary unit housed in UF/IFAS (www.sfrc.ufl.edu) and has teaching, research, and extension education programs in three broad areas: Forest Resources and Conservation; Geomatics (surveying, mapping, remote sensing, GIS, and GPS); and Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. The SFRC has 60 faculty members, 60 administrative and programmatic staff, 250 graduate students, and 350 undergraduate students. The School offers bachelor’s degrees in Forest Resources and Conservation, Natural Resource Conservation, Geomatics, and Marine Sciences; thesis and non-thesis master’s degrees in all focal areas, including a number of innovative distance education master’s programs; and Ph.D. degrees in all focal areas.

The SFRC is committed to supporting work-life balance and creating an environment that promotes and supports a more diverse and welcoming faculty, student body, and overall workforce within the School ( http://sfrc.ufl.edu/people/diversity-committee/ ). We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, Cooperative Extension/outreach, mentoring, and professional service.

Position Length: 1 year with potential to extend pending supplementary funding

Discipline(s): Aquaculture, marine science

Start date: as soon as possible but no later than March 1, 2021

Required: PhD in the natural sciences, preferably aquaculture and/or fisheries and some record of publication in the refereed literature

We value diversity in the workplace and recognize that candidates may have their own sets of skills in fields that may not completely match the advertised position. Thus, any individual meeting the requirements described above in the Job Description and interested in advancing the Diadema project is encouraged to apply. Specific skills and experience that would translate directly to this position include:

• Experience culturing fragile marine larvae
• Experience with marine microalgae culture
• Histological interpretation
• Experimental design, data curation, and analysis
• Excellent scientific writing
• Experience mentoring junior scientists

Apply online at http://apply.interfolio.com/81096 . Required application materials: Cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references – submitted as a single PDF

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) .

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida’s Sunshine Law.

The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a diversity of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

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The University of Florida is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.