Postdoctoral Scholar: Evaluating responses of estuarine fauna to stressors, including invasive European green crab, using a regional citizen science data set
Position Overview
Organization: Program on the Environment
Title: Postdoctoral Scholar: Evaluating responses of estuarine fauna to stressors, including invasive European green crab, using a regional citizen science data set
Position Details
Position Description
The College of the Environment fosters existing and new collaborations between outstanding faculty, staff and students who are engaged in the study of: the solar system and Earth’s dynamic land, water and atmosphere; the development and application of environmental engineering and technological advances; and the impact of policy and human actions on the environment, and the management of natural resources.
The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS) is dedicated to sustaining healthy marine and freshwater environments. Our school comprises one of the largest and most diverse academic aquatic and fisheries sciences programs in the United States. Our faculty conduct innovative research from the organism to the ecosystem scale, and are recognized leaders in aquatic biology, sustainable fisheries management, and aquatic resource conservation.
The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences values the strengths and professional experience that students, faculty, and staff bring to our community. We are committed to providing excellent education to all of our students, regardless of their race, gender, class, nationality, physical ability, religion, age, or sexual orientation. We are proud of the different roles that our students, staff, and faculty play in the community of the School and in the College of the Environment. We recognize that science is richer and the SAFS community is more vibrant when a diverse group of people participate in the SAFS community.
In Washington State, the recent range expansion and rapid population growth of European green crab (Carcinus maenas) triggered the declaration of a statewide emergency by Governor Inslee. Though the globally damaging invasive was first detected in Washington in 1998, spread into the inland waters of the Salish Sea did not occur until the last several years, during which time coastal embayments also experienced unprecedented population increases. Since 2014, Washington Sea Grant has been proactively supporting green crab management in the state through Crab Team (https://wsg.uw.edu/crabteam), established as a volunteer-based early detection program. Crab Team also conducts collaborative research on green crabs and provides scientific interpretation and expertise to partners engaged in control, including tribes, state, and federal agency partners, shellfish growers and other entities.
The postdoctoral scholar will participate as an active member of Crab Team in supporting management efforts by addressing data analytical and communications needs. Drawing on datasets from Crab Team monitoring, partner removal efforts, and the literature, analyses will serve management goals including population modeling, seasonal, and geographic distributions, impact predictions and assessments, and estimating functional eradication targets. This includes the opportunity to work with a state-wide ecological monitoring dataset generated by the 65-site early detection and monitoring sites, which extends up to 7 years for some sites. This is the largest available saltmarsh and pocket estuary monitoring dataset for the region, consisting of three survey types (trapping, molt, and habitat), and associated site-specific water temperature data, and has been rigorously QA/QC’ed and verified. Topics for investigation could include, but are not limited to, evaluating seasonal and interannual patterns, community structure and change over space and time, impacts of invasive species (including green crab), restoration, and extreme events (e.g., heat wave).
The anticipated start date is July 1, 2022, but this is negotiable. The initial appointment will extend until June 30, 2023, with reappointment possible pending performance review and funding availability. Applications submitted by June 15, 2022 will be given preference, but the position will remain open until filled. This is a full-time position located at the University of Washington in Seattle. The post-doc will be supervised by Dr. P. Sean McDonald (University of Washington) and will primarily collaborate with Dr. Emily Grason (Washington Sea Grant), Washington Sea Grant staff, State and Tribal co-managers, and environmental NGO biologists.
Responsibilities Include:
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Conduct analyses of European green crab population and distribution data, display patterns, and report results to collaborators, partners, and stakeholders;
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Evaluate target thresholds for control of European green crab in order to achieve functional eradication in high priority sites;
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Use a robust, highly verified, Citizen Science monitoring dataset to investigate patterns in the diversity and abundance of estuarine fauna in response to ocean conditions and stressors, including European green crab;
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Contribute to the presentation of results at conferences and stakeholder meetings and publication of findings in peer-reviewed journals.
Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website.
Qualifications
Required:
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earned Ph.D. in Ecology, Fisheries Science, Quantitative Ecology, Applied Statistics or a related field; and
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proficiency in R or other programming language(s);
Desirable:
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experience producing data visualizations, particular with interactive tools, such as Shiny apps, MySQL, and/or Tableau dashboards;
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knowledge of, or experience with: GLMMs, spatial or spatiotemporal models, ecological survey design, population matrix models;
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experience analyzing data from citizen science programs; and
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knowledge of European green crab and/or Pacific Northwest nearshore ecology.
Instructions
To apply please submit your application through Interfolio with the following: (1) A letter of interest detailing your skills and experience. (2) A curriculum-vitae including publications. (3) a letter of recommendation.
For questions about this position, including potential disability accommodations, please contact Courtney Peetz at cpeetz@uw.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Benefits Information
A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
Privacy Notice
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Disability Services
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements and Information
Under University of Washington (UW) Policy, University-compensated personnel must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof thereof, or receive a UW-approved medical or religious exemption. This requirement will be a condition of any offer associated with this recruitment. For more information, please visit https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/vaccination-requirement/.