Postdoctoral Scholar to research current and anticipate future threats to salmon in the Chehalis River Basin

Description

Subject: Postdoctoral Scholar to research current and anticipate future threats to salmon in the Chehalis River Basin

 

The Freshwater Ecology Lab at the University of Washington seeks to hire an enthusiastic and self-motivated Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. The successful applicant will be advised by Dr. Julian Olden and will work closely with staff at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to better understand current and anticipate future threats to salmon in the Chehalis River Basin, WA. The Freshwater Ecology Lab contains a cohesive mix of undergraduate students, graduate students, post-docs and visiting international scholars. We play hard and work even harder and are looking for the same in the applicant. 

 

Responsibilities

We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar for an ongoing project that aims to elucidate the challenges facing Pacific salmon in the Chehalis River Basin arising from invasive species and ongoing climate change. Working closely with WDFW collaborators, the postdoctoral scholar will generate novel scientific questions and publish and communicate use-inspired research that leverages a wealth of biological and environmental data already collected in support of the Aquatic Species Restoration Plan of the Chehalis Basin Strategy.

 

The position will be in-person at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Science (SAFS) at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.  The University of Washington is the largest publicly funded university in North America and is a recognized leader in science, engineering, and technology. The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences is the top-ranked fisheries program in the US (and top-five globally). It is recognized for contributions to aquatic ecology, natural resource management, molecular ecology, fisheries management, and acts as a primary source of balanced scientific advice in relation to the management and conservation of marine and freshwater ecosystems.  Faculty, staff and students have access to myriad aquatic habitats and rich biological resources and are involved in interdisciplinary partnerships with other academic programs, as well as public and private organizations and environmental and regulatory agencies. Seattle is a vibrant and progressive city with ample opportunities for recreation and city-living.  Julian values the fact that science is a social expertise, and that true creativity and authentic collaborations arise from face-to-face interactions. For this reason, this an in-person position, and fully remote working will not be considered.

 

Potential questions include:

• What are the independent and combined risks of predation associated with a suite of native and non-native predatory fish species as juvenile salmonids outmigrate from headwaters to estuary/nearshore environments?

·        What are the estimated predation impacts of multiple predators using a combination of molecular techniques, DNA mixture modeling, and stable isotope analyses?

• Where are thermal refuges in the Chehalis River Basin, and how does refuge availability and characteristics affect salmon and nonnative fish population abundance and persistence under projected climate change?
• How can physiology be better incorporated into individual-based and species distribution models to help assess the impacts of warming on salmon and nonnative fishes across broad spatial extents?

 

These are just a few questions of potential interest. Considerable scope exists to further personal scientific interests within the broader context of salmon conservation, invasive species management, climate change, hydrology and stream temperature dynamics.

The base salary range for this position will be $5,705 - $5,772 per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. 

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

Mandatory Qualifications:

The candidate will have a PhD in ecology, fisheries, environmental sciences or some related discipline at the time of appointment

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will:

• have a high degree of statistical fluency (e.g., general and generalized linear models, mixe