Shellfish Positions Available

Aquaculture Outreach Specialist (Maryland, USA): The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Horn Point Laboratory is seeking applications to fill the position of Shellfish Aquaculture Outreach Specialist. This position will be either a Faculty Research Assistant or Assistant Research Scientist dependent upon education and experience. This position will be located in Cambridge, Maryland. The Outreach Specialist position will be a Full time hybrid position reporting directly to Horn Point Lab director, Mike Sieracki. The Shellfish Aquaculture Outreach Specialist will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between scientific research and industry application in the areas of shellfish aquaculture, fisheries, and restoration. Collaborating closely with Horn Point Laboratory scientists, and home to the largestthe oyster hatchery on the East Coast, the person in this position will focus on translating solution-driven research into actionable strategies to enhance the diversity, productivity, growth, and resiliency of the Chesapeake Bay shellfish aquaculture and wild harvest industries. This position is partially supported by Maryland Sea Grant and the Outreach Specialist will be part of the Sea Grant network and work with the Maryland Sea Grant program. Advancing sustainable aquaculture and wild fisheries are core missions of Sea Grant. The person in this position will have access to Sea Grant resources and be expected to work with Maryland industry, state government and non-governmental organizations important to fisheries issues in the state.  Minimum qualifications: Master’s degree in marine science, aquaculture, fisheries, environmental science, or related field; Willingness to travel in the mid-Atlantic region and work occasional weekend or evening events as needed; Physical ability to handle aquaculture and harvesting gear is required; Must be eligible for a Maryland driver’s license; Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences; Understanding of shellfish biology, and aquaculture and fishing techniques; Ability to use word, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software. Preferred qualifications: Experience in science communication, outreach, and stakeholder engagement; Demonstrated project management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, work effectively in a team environment, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; Experience in crafting, obtaining, and/or executing grant proposals; Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and work both independently and as a part of a team. For more details on the position, and to apply, please use the following link: https://umces.peopleadmin.com/postings/1866 (posted 6/27/24)

Research Scientist – Marine Carbonate Chemistry - 2 years (Maine, USA) – The Downeast Institute (DEI) is seeking candidates for a research scientist position in marine carbonate chemistry that is funded for the first two years. The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in marine biology, marine chemistry, or a related field, with expertise in ocean and sediment carbonate chemistry, and oversee both internal and external research and operation of an ocean acidification laboratory. In addition, the scientist is expected to conduct experiments in the laboratory and field to determine effects of ocean acidification (OA) on the biology and ecology of local, commercially-important shellfish. This research will be facilitated by state-of-the-art shellfish hatchery facilities at DEI where we have been rearing bivalves and crustaceans for the past 35 years. The successful candidate will work closely with the institute’s Director of Research and its staff to maintain and operate the OA laboratory, and promote interactive research with outside investigators to utilize DEI facilities for OA research. The OA laboratory is designed to study impacts of global environmental changes on marine organisms, with a focus on full factorial ocean acidification and warming experiments using replicate tanks that are fully physically and statistically independent (see: https://downeastinstitute.org/our-facility/for-scientists/ocean-acidification-laboratory/). We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. That is, applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States; however, we are not able to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.Materials must be submitted electronically to [email protected] with “Apply for Research Scientist Position” in the subject line. Required material includes:  Cover Letter, References, Resume/CV, and Transcripts. All required materials must be submitted by 1 July 2024. For more information: https://downeastinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/downeast-institute-research-scientist-marine-carbonate-chemistry-job-advertisement.pdf (posted 6/6/24)

PhD Scholarship - 3 years (Denmark) - DTU Aqua is seeking candidates for a 3-year PhD student position as part of a newly funded Aage V. Jensen project: Quantification of marine Ecosystem Services in connection with Marine nature Restoration (QESMAR). The overall aim of the QESMAR project is to test, develop and standardize assessment methods (performance criteria) to enable quantification of ecosystem services (ES) for habitats, species, stocks of blue carbon and nutrients, and water quality in existing restoration projects. This will make it possible to assess restoration progress against goals, determine comparability across different restored habitats and conditions, and support better evidence-based guidelines for future marine restoration. To support this, two PhD projects and one post doc project will be initiated that in a collaboration framework to develop means to efficiently monitor and quantify a range of ES associated with the marine restoration project on restored habitats of eelgrass meadows, stone reefs, and bivalve beds/reefs in Danish coastal waters like Løgstør Bredning, Vejle Fjord and Roskilde Fjord. The three projects are expected to be coordinated with joint efforts in field campaigns and data analysis.  Online application must be submitted no later than 28 June 2024 (23:59 Danish time). For more information and to apply: https://efzu.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/3546/?trk=organization_guest_main-feed-card_feed-article-content  (posted 5/29/24)

Graduate Assistant (Mississippi, USA): The USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory is seeking a graduate assistant position.  The project focuses on the effect of climate change and wind turbine construction on the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog resource using a coupled fishery-population dynamics model (SEFES) that includes a future climate projection capability. Development of wind energy on the continental shelf may influence fisheries by limiting access, increasing vessel steaming costs, and limiting stock surveys. Warming of the northwest Atlantic is rapidly shifting the range of the surfclam resource and impinging the species upon territory occupied by ocean quahogs, one of the oldest marine species. The project will address management issues arising from the influence of global warming and competitive uses of the continental shelf with respect to maintaining a sustainable clam resource and fishery. The successful candidate will develop a masters or dissertation project in connection with research supported by the NSF I/UCRC science center SCEMFIS and provide the opportunity for the candidate to work directly with the fishing industry and the management community. The research is supported by SCEMFIS (NSF Science Center for Marine Fisheries) and private enterprise.   Qualification: BS or MS in marine science, fisheries, or related field; competency in mathematics or statistics, and numerical modeling; GREs in the upper 50th percentiles; GPA above 3.0.  Salary: $22,800-$24,000/year.  To apply, please email a copy of transcrips, CV, GRE scores, and a cover letter to Dr. Eric Powell ([email protected]) and Kelsey Kuykendall ([email protected]). (posted 5/24/24)

Graduate Assistant (Mississippi, USA): The USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory is seeking a graduate assistant position.  The project focuses on larval performance, recruitment, growth, and health of oysters in Mississippi Sound as part of two research programs, one focused on the evaluation of the influence of food quantity and quality supporting larval and post-settlement oysters and the other being a restoration program following the 2019 mass mortality due to opening of the Bonnet Carré spillway. The project includes following the environmental conditions, including food supply metrics influencing larval settlement, and the post-settlement success of the oyster resource following a large -cale restoration program and the development of Dermo disease after its eradication from the region in 2019. The project will build on a two-year study of oyster food supply supported by the Mississippi Restore Act Center for Excellence (MBRACE). The successful candidate will develop a masters or dissertation project on the subject. The research is supported by MBRACE and the Engineer Research and Development Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Qualification: BS or MS in marine science, fisheries, or related field; competency in mathematics or statistics, and numerical modeling; GREs in the upper 50th percentiles; GPA above 3.0. Salary: $22,800-$24,000/year + tuition.  To apply, please email a copy of transcrips, CV, GRE scores, and a cover letter to Dr. Eric Powell ([email protected]) and Kelsey Kuykendall ([email protected]). (posted 5/24/24)

Natural Resources Biologist I (Maryland, USA):  The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Fishing and Boating Services, is currently accepting applications for a Seasonal Contractual Natural Resources Biologist I position located in Oxford, Maryland. This position is seasonal and runs from 10/2/2024 to 12/17/24.  This position will secure and process tissue samples from aquatic animals for diagnostic assays, conduct and analyze laboratory assays on those samples, and document laboratory assay results for aquatic animal health monitoring and disease investigations conducted or serviced by the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Program at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory. The position dissects or biopsies both live and dead shellfish to obtain samples of solid tissues and preserves, processes, and stains these tissue samples to produce histological or cytological preparations for microscopic analysis. Duties will include but are not limited to cleaning and dissection of oysters to secure diagnostic tissue samples; preparation and inoculation of microbiological media for diagnostic assays; preparation of chemical fixatives and stains; fixation, embedding, sectioning, staining, and cover slipping of histological samples; microscopic analysis of microbiological assays; data recording and entry; and general maintenance of laboratory facilities and equipment. Occasional diagnostic work with finfish may also be required.  For more information and to apply (online application strongly encouraged): https://jobapscloud.com/MD/sup/BulPreview.asp?R1=24&R2=002293&R3=0020&Viewer=Admin&Test=Y.  Questions should be directed to Alexandra Gast at [email protected].  (posted 4/16/24)