Postdoctoral Researcher in Gray Whale Ecology and Biology, Marine Science Institute, UC Santa Barbara

The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara seeks a postdoctoral scholar to conduct field research on gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) biology and ecology in San Francisco Bay. Over the last five years more gray whales appear to have used the Bay as a stopover on their 12,000-mile migration between Mexico and the Arctic, feeding or attempting to feed there, which brings them into closer contact with human activity and risks such as ship strikes.

Research questions, defined with the successful candidate, may include which Bay habitats matter most and how use varies in space and time, which benthic prey the whales use and its nutritional value, whether whales benefit physiologically, which toxicological risks they face, and how their feeding shapes Bay ecology. The initial appointment is two years, at an estimated $71,491-$85,736.

All PhD requirements except the dissertation completed at application, in biology, ecology, chemistry, environmental sciences or a related field; doctorate by appointment. Useful experience includes benthic invertebrate sampling and nutritional, feeding or marine mammal ecology; toxicology of marine invertebrates or mammals; stable isotope, eDNA, drone or benthic sonar methods; mixed-effects or Bayesian statistics for field data; and small research vessel operations.