The Hakai Institute is looking for two world-class postdoctoral fellows to join a collaborative study with Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria. This research program aims to link theories of island biogeography with ecosystem subsidies on 100 islands along the central coast of British Columbia, Canada. Both postdocs will work collaboratively with professors and graduate students at both universities, as well as with scientists involved with complementary programs at the Hakai Institute, including the Coastal Oceans, Nearshore Marine Ecosystems, and Coastal Watersheds programs.
These 2-year positions will start on September 1st, 2017. The postdocs will have access to a wide variety of data collected during the previous field seasons on the presence, abundances, and ecology of terrestrial plants, invertebrates, birds, and mammals. These data will be combined with extensive datasets on physical features of the 100 islands that may affect delivery of marine-derived nutrients. An overview of the program is here. Although these are analytical positions, there will be an opportunity for 2 weeks of fieldwork in the spring or summer, prior to the formal September start date. The salary will be $55,000 per year plus Mandatory Employment Related Benefits, and funds will be available for research and travel.
Position #1. Ecosystem Nutrient Flow Specialist. This project will draw on ecosystem science approaches (including modeling, food web analysis) and tools (stable isotope analysis, carbon flux) to combine 3 years of field data into models of cross-boundary movement of energy and nutrients across the nearshore to and from adjacent terrestrial environments. This scholar will be able to take advantage of an extensive data set that is available for environmental variables and movements of nutrients through webs that connect a variety of plants and animals across the land-sea interface. Expected residency will be at the University of Victoria with primary advisor Chris Darimont (http://www.web.uvic.ca/~darimont/), and strong collaboration with Brian Starzomski at the same university (http://starzomski.weebly.com), and John Reynolds at Simon Fraser University (http://johnreynolds.org).
Position # 2. Biodiversity Specialist. This position will leverage 3 years of terrestrial biodiversity data collected across 100 islands. We are looking for a scholar with conceptual and advanced analytical and quantitative expertise in theory and analysis related to island biogeography, cross-boundary ecosystem subsidies, and biodiversity. This biodiversity specialist will interact with the nutrient flow specialist, as well as scholars using remote sensing, underwater surveys of marine algae and seagrasses, oceanographic surveys, and other techniques to understand ecology at the land-sea interface. Extensive experience with complex biodiversity database management and creation is preferred. Expected residency will be at Simon Fraser University with primary supervisor John Reynolds, with extensive time at the University of Victoria working with Chris Darimont and Brian Starzomski.
To Apply
Please send a letter explaining your interest in either or both of these positions, including experience and skills related to the qualifications above, along with your CV, transcripts, a related and representative peer-reviewed journal article you have authored, and contact details of three references. These should all be a single PDF with the subject line "Island Biogeography Postdoc" and file name that begins with your surname. Please send your application to all three of the Principal Investigators of this project: Dr Chris Darimont (darimont@uvic.ca), Dr John Reynolds (Reynolds@sfu.ca), and Dr Brian Starzomski (starzom@uvic.ca). Review of applications will begin on 15 February, 2017.
Website: https://www.hakai.org/blog/life-at-hakai/two-post-doctoral-fellowship-opportunities
