[Coral-List] Postdoctoral Vacancy - Octocoral Ecology

[Edmunds, Peter J]

Colleagues,

I am pleased to post the opportunity described below for a postdoctoral research in my lab.

Pete
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NSF Postdoctoral Scholar – Ecology of Caribbean octocorals

Application deadline: 1 October 2013 (or until filled)
Start date: negotiable (Spring 2014)
Salary: $45,000
Apply at: http://www-admn.csun.edu/ohrs/employment/
Position reference - 3393

Applications are invited for a 1-year (with potential for 2 additional years), NSF-funded postdoctoral scholar position at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), to conduct research on the ecology of Caribbean octocorals in St. John, US Virgin Islands. The successful candidate will work closely with PJ Edmunds (peter.edmunds at csun.edu), HR Lasker (PIs), and L Bramanti (collaborator) to investigate long-term changes in octocoral communities.  The research focuses on the shallow coral reefs of St. John where 27 y of research has been conducted on the ecology of scleractinians communities, most recently (and ongoing) with support from the NSF-LTREB program.  This new project is intended to provide an octocoral “overlay” to the existing project and address covariance in the community trajectories of scleractinians and octocorals.  The research is designed in three phases, first to conduct a retrospective analysis of changes in octocoral abundance, second to focus on contemporary reefs to test mechanisms favoring changes in octocoral abundance relative to scleractinians, and third to focus on changes in octocoral communities that are likely to occur over the next 20+ y.

Candidates are expected to have significant field-based experience in subtidal marine ecology with a strong emphasis on the ecology of Caribbean octocorals.  Preference will be given to candidates with a strong publication record.  The research involves lengthy periods (up to 2 months) of fieldwork in St. John, and provides the opportunity to work with a small team studying the biology of coral reefs in the Caribbean and Pacific.  The candidate will participate in all aspects of project planning and logistics, and will lead a small research team of graduate and undergraduate students in St. John.  Scuba diving with AAUS training (or equivalent) is required.

The salary includes benefits, with additional funds to support travel and research in St. John.  Applicants should submit a covering letter in which they describe their research training and interests, CV, and arrange to have two letters of reference submitted.  All applications must be made through the CSUN web site (see above).
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Dr. Peter J. Edmunds
Department of Biology
California State University
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge
CA 91330-8303
Phone: 818.677.2502
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