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Postdoctoral Researcher in Gray Whale Ecology and Biology at UC Santa Barbara University of California Santa Barbara in United States
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Chemistry
Funding
Postdoctoral appointment at 100% time with a competitive salary estimated at $71,491 to $85,736 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Initial appointment is for 2 years from the start date.
Deadline
Apr 30, 2027
Country
United States
University
University of California, Santa Barbara
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About this position
Postdoctoral Researcher in Gray Whale Ecology and Biology at the Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara.
This postdoctoral opportunity focuses on gray whale ecology, marine mammal ecology, and benthic ecosystem research in the San Francisco Bay. The project asks how and why gray whales are using the Bay as a migratory stopover, what prey resources they are feeding on, what nutritional benefits or toxicological risks may be involved, and how whale feeding ecology may affect the Bay ecosystem.
The successful candidate will work with collaborators at UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley, the Marine Mammal Center, and other stakeholders. Research methods may include benthic ecology surveys, vessel-based whale observations, UAV/drone surveys, long-term dataset analysis, whale tissue analyses, prey energetic analyses, molecular/eDNA diet analysis, stable isotope analysis, contaminant sampling, acoustic benthic mapping, and ecological modeling.
This is a postdoctoral appointment, not a PhD or master's opening. Applicants must have completed all PhD requirements except the dissertation at the time of application, and must hold a doctoral degree by the start date. Preferred experience includes marine ecology, toxicology, stable isotopes, eDNA, drone-based fieldwork, sonar/benthic sampling, and quantitative ecological analysis.
The position is 100% time with a competitive salary estimated at $71,491 to $85,736 annually, and the initial appointment is for 2 years. The field season work is primarily in the Bay Area, with the remainder of the season based at UC Santa Barbara.
Application window: open date August 31, 2026; most recent review date September 30, 2026; final date April 30, 2027.
How to apply: submit a CV and cover letter through the UC Santa Barbara Recruit portal. Three references are required (contact information only).
Funding details
Postdoctoral appointment at 100% time with a competitive salary estimated at $71,491 to $85,736 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Initial appointment is for 2 years from the start date.
What's required
Applicants must have completed all requirements for a PhD program or equivalent except the dissertation at the time of application, in biology, ecology, chemistry, environmental sciences, or a related field. By the appointment start date, the candidate must hold a doctoral degree in one of these or a related fields. Preferred qualifications include experience with benthic invertebrate sampling, nutritional ecology, feeding ecology, marine mammal ecology, toxicology of marine invertebrates or marine mammals, stable isotopes, eDNA, UAV/drone-based data collection, sonar sampling, statistical modeling of noisy ecological datasets, and small research vessel operations. The ideal candidate should be willing to travel for fieldwork, have a strong publication and presentation record, and work well in a collaborative team.
How to apply
Prepare a CV and cover letter, and submit them through the UC Santa Barbara Recruit portal. Three references are required with contact information only. Applications are accepted until the final date, with review beginning on the listed review date.
More information can be found here
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