Postdoc - Examining the Spatio-Temporal Variability in Nutrient Contributions of Aquatic Foods King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join an interdisciplinary project on the spatio-temporal variability in the nutrient contributions of aquatic foods. The position is based in the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division and within the Integrated Reef Fisheries Lab led by Professor Jessica Zamborain-Mason.

This project addresses an important gap in understanding how the nutrient composition, availability, and consumption of aquatic foods vary across space and time, and how these patterns can be integrated into dietary assessments and future food security scenarios. The work is especially focused on the Red Sea, while also using global and regional datasets to examine broader patterns relevant to nutrition-sensitive food systems.

The successful postdoctoral researcher will contribute to research at the interface of marine biogeochemistry, data science, nutritional epidemiology, marine ecology, and human nutrition. Responsibilities include examining variability in nutrient content across time and space, contributing to the design and implementation of a long-term monitoring program, sampling aquatic foods for nutrient analyses, conducting and analyzing food intake surveys, and integrating findings into forward-looking analyses of food security and nutrition futures.

KAUST is an international graduate-level research university located in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, near Jeddah and on the Red Sea coast. The university emphasizes science and technology research with strong facilities and a highly international community. The post includes the benefits often associated with KAUST appointments for expatriate staff, including tax-free salary, relocation, accommodation, and other incentives.

Applicants should hold a PhD completed or near completion in marine biogeochemistry, data science, nutrition epidemiology, environmental science, or a related field. Strong quantitative and programming skills, especially in R and other data science/statistical tools, are important, along with the ability to manage and analyze large datasets. The posting also highlights desirable experience in aquatic food sampling, dietary intake surveys, spatial and temporal modeling, and a strong publication record. Candidates should be collaborative, communicative, and comfortable working across disciplines and with diverse partners; fluency in Arabic and English is preferred for stakeholder engagement in Saudi Arabia.

Applications should include a CV, a cover letter describing research experience and motivation, details for at least two references, and a sample peer-reviewed publication relevant to the role. The application is submitted via Interfolio.