Assistant Scientist

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The University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) invites applications for an Assistant Scientist specializing in the development of carbonate budgets and photomosaic analyses to quantify the impacts of global and local stressors on Caribbean coral reef ecosystems. The successful applicant will work with a diverse team of scientists, postdocs, and students at NOAA and UM laboratories in Miami, Florida as part of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory’s (AOML) Coral Program.  

The AOML Coral Program is interested in how environmental change and ocean acidification will be, and already are affecting the construction (coral growth, calcification) and breakdown (bioerosion, dissolution) of coral reef habitat, as well as the associated ramifications these processes have for ecosystem function. In light of widespread coral mortality and reef ecosystem degradation, we are actively engaged in identifying mechanisms of reef resilience, whether they be molecular, ecological, or chemical. These analyses will contribute to NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP).

The successful candidate’s duties will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Development of carbonate budgets for priority coral reef sites in Florida and the Caribbean, using ReefBudget survey methods and photogrammetry-based approaches

• Construction and analysis of large area imaging (LAI) reef models, including production of orthomosaics and three-dimensional digital elevation models, and integration with National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) datasets

• Leadership and administration of funded projects, including budgeting, planning, field work, and coordination of temporary employee and student worker effort

• Manuscript preparation, including project reporting and first author publications

• Grant proposal preparation and submission, including from outside funding sources

Instruction will range from specific targeted tasks and methodologies to general long-term goals. As such the successful applicant must be highly motivated, organized, and able to adapt to a dynamic lab environment. The successful applicant will be highly self-motivated and grow into an independent researcher that can develop their own lines of coral reef research.

The successful applicant must possess a doctoral degree in marine science or a related field from an accredited university, with at least one year of relevant postdoctoral research experience and demonstrated ability to publish results in peer-reviewed literature. Strong analytical and laboratory skills are required. Experience with small boats and AAUS SCUBA diving certification are required. Preference will be given to candidates with: 1) an exemplary track record of peer-reviewed publications, 2) demonstrated experience with emerging techniques of carbonate budgets and LAI/photomosaic methods, and 3) experience working with corals and reef-associated organisms, with emphasis on bioeroders.

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