The successful candidate will join the Arctic Rivers Project, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Navigating the New Arctic program. The postdoctoral fellow will conduct research into how changes in streamflow and river temperature determine fish physiology and behavior. While the exact research questions can be aligned with the interests of the successful candidate, the general project goal is to assess the metabolic response of fish to projected changes in climate, e.g., using the Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 (FB4) model. Fish species of interest will be co-identified by Indigenous community members and project investigators. Bioenergetics modeling will be used to simulate historical conditions and future changes in fish growth under different climate scenarios as represented by a chain of climate and hydrologic models. The unique model chain resolves climate and land surface variables, streamflow, and river temperature at high resolution over Alaska and the Yukon.

Primary responsibilities will include:

  • Use existing guidance and observations from Indigenous knowledge holders to form research questions;
  • For fish species identified by Indigenous partners, and for those fish species without direct measures of growth, metabolism, or waste, estimate bioenergetic parameters using values in the literature; and
  • Use a bioenergetics model to simulate historical conditions and future changes in fish growth under different climate scenarios.

Requirements include:

  • A PhD in ecology, biology, the natural sciences, or related fields;
  • Expertise in fish ecology, food web dynamics, and/or climate change impacts on fish;
  • Experience communicating research results through public or partner engagement, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at scientific meetings; and
  • Experience with or willingness to learn data analysis software such as R, MATLAB, or Python.

Applications must include:

  • Resume or curriculum vitae;
  • Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position;
  • List of contact information for three references who may be contacted on your behalf; and
  • Proof of degree.

Review of applications will begin 31 January 2022 and will continue until the position is filled.

For more information, go to:
Full Position Announcement