Duke University
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1 week ago
Postdoctoral Associate in Marine Spatial Ecology and Marine Mammal Species Distribution Modeling Duke University in United States
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Postdoctoral Associate or Research Scientist appointment for an initial one-year term with potential annual renewal up to two years total; extension beyond that depends on evaluation and funding. Salary and job title are commensurate with degree and experience.
Country
United States
University
Duke University
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About this position
Postdoctoral Associate / Research Scientist in Marine Spatial Ecology at Duke University, working with the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab (MGEL) directed by Dr. Patrick Halpin.
This opening focuses on marine mammal ecology, species distribution modeling, density surface models, statistical modeling, oceanography, geospatial analysis, and scientific programming. The successful candidate will model distributions of marine mammals, especially cetaceans, with a special emphasis on the North Atlantic right whale, and will help produce management-ready results and manuscripts for conservation and environmental planning in the United States.
The work includes cleaning and integrating line transect survey data, modeling detection probability with distance sampling, preparing environmental covariates from satellite remote sensing and ocean models, building density surface models in R using mgcv/GAMs, predicting density and uncertainty surfaces, and evaluating model transferability across space and time. Projects may include forecasting future right whale density under climate change, assessing overlap with U.S. lobster fisheries, and developing marine mammal density models for the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet testing and training study area.
Eligibility highlights: PhD in ecology, biology, statistics, computer science, engineering, or oceanography with strong quantitative skills; undergraduate coursework or equivalent experience in physical and biological oceanography required; at least two years of direct work experience or academic equivalent; strong English communication, scientific writing, presentations, teamwork, and programming/GIS skills.
Funding and term: one-year initial appointment with potential annual renewal for a total of two years, with possible extension beyond that depending on evaluation and funding. Salary and title depend on degree and experience.
Location: Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina, or remote/off-site as permitted by policy.
How to apply: submit a CV, cover letter, and three professional references through Academic Jobs Online posting 32890.
Funding details
Postdoctoral Associate or Research Scientist appointment for an initial one-year term with potential annual renewal up to two years total; extension beyond that depends on evaluation and funding. Salary and job title are commensurate with degree and experience.
What's required
PhD in ecology, biology, statistics, computer science or engineering, or oceanography with a strong quantitative analysis background, particularly in species distribution modeling. Undergraduate coursework or equivalent experience in physical and biological oceanography is required; graduate-level coursework or research experience is preferred. At least two years of direct work experience or academic equivalent is required. Candidates should be fluent in English, have strong scientific presentation and writing skills, demonstrated experience with statistical modeling (especially GLMs/GAMs), species distribution modeling or abundance estimation, strong programming skills in R (Python/MATLAB/SQL are a plus), GIS and geospatial analysis competence, and the ability to work independently and in teams.
How to apply
Apply through the Academic Jobs Online posting (Posting Number 32890). Submit a CV, cover letter, and contact information for at least three professional references. Use the provided application portal link to complete the application.
More information can be found here
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