[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoctoral and PhD research assistantships in biophysical ocean modeling and marine ecosystem impacts – Biophysical Ocean Modeling Lab at Louisiana State University

Thu Jan 20 16:31:05 MST 2022

*Postdoctoral and PhD research assistantships in biophysical ocean modeling
and marine ecosystem impacts – Biophysical Ocean Modeling Lab at Louisiana
State University*

Now recruiting for one or more PhD research assistantships and two
postdoctoral research associates in *biophysical ocean and ecological
modeling and data analysis*. Post-masters and post-bachelor researchers are
also encouraged to apply. Flexible and remote (within the US) working
arrangements are available for many positions.

The Biophysical Ocean Modeling (BOM) Lab
<https://chsharrison.wordpress.com/> in the Department of Ocean and Coastal
Science <https://www.lsu.edu/cce/academics/graduate/docs/index.php> (DOCS)
at Louisiana State University (LSU) headed by Dr. Cheryl Harrison is
currently recruiting new graduate students and research associates to join
our research team, with researcher positions open now and student positions
beginning as early as Summer 2022. Our research program focuses on modeling
interactions between physical and biological processes at a variety of
spatial and temporal scales, including the impact of extreme climate
forcing events and climate change on ecosystems, fisheries, and
biogeochemical processes, and effects of mesoscale transport on ecological
processes such as turtle hatchling and larval dispersal. Our research
approach is primarily modeling based, running and analyzing Earth system
(climate) and regional ocean models, and including biogeochemical,
plankton, particle tracking and fisheries models within and forced by
regional and climate model output. We have a strong network of national and
international colleagues, including FishMIP <http://fishmip.org/>, the Climate
Intervention Biology Working Group
<https://www.climateinterventionbiology.org/>, and the Community Climate
Intervention Strategies <https://www.ccis.ucar.edu/> working group.
Students will have many opportunities for networking, collaboration and
mentoring within these research communities and more focused project teams.
For more information about the Harrison Lab, please see:
https://chsharrison.wordpress.com, including links to publications and
current lab members.

The Harrison lab is strongly committed to increasing diversity in the
geosciences, and encourages applications from women, parents,
underrepresented and minoritized students (Black, Hispanic, first
generation, LGBTQ+…), and international students from the global south
(Latin America, Africa, etc.). While this is a programming-heavy research
team, training and support will be provided, given potential research
assistants’ excitement for the work. LSU DOCS is ranked in the 2021 top 75
<http://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/gras/2021/RS0107> international
oceanography programs internationally, and offers a comprehensive graduate
curriculum, a supportive department culture, and a strong graduate
organization <http://www.cego.lsu.edu/>. Baton Rouge
<https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/> has a vibrant and diverse culture, low
cost of living, and is 45 min from New Orleans, a top global tourist
destination and cultural hot spot.

There are several ongoing projects that research associates could develop
projects in:

·      Marine impacts of climate shocks and climate intervention
strategies. This opportunity leverages our lab’s experience and connection
with the extreme forcing and ecosystem modeling communities to study the
impacts of climate shocks, such as global cooling events driven by
volcanoes, asteroids or nuclear winter, or climate interventions such as
solar radiation management (geoengineering). Foci can be on fisheries,
plankton, or biogeochemistry impacts, or more climate policy focused
topics, depending on applicant research interests.

·      Model-data comparison of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction
event. Related to the above, this is an NSF funded collaborative project
combining simulations of the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs with
observed proxies. Our lab is focusing on the ocean biogeochemistry and
plankton extinction and recovery. Researchers with experience and/or
interest in paleoceanography are especially encouraged to apply.

·      Transport and connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico. This project uses
several machine learning methods to study connectivity provinces in the
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, with application to physical and biological
transport. The project is in collaboration with Vincent Rossi and MIO in
France, Enrico Ser-Giacomi at MIT, and Yonggang Liu and Bob Weisberg at
USF. This is largely a physical transport project to start, and then could
go in a more ecological application or physical/mathematical/machine
learning direction, dependent on applicant research interests.

*Job details*

Postdoctoral Research associates

Postdoctoral positions start at $48K/year, plus a full benefits package and
relocation funding.  Flexible and remote working arrangements are available
(within the US).

Requirements:

The position has a minimum requirement of a Ph.D. in a related field
(oceanography, marine science, earth science, geography, engineering,
applied mathematics or physical sciences). Candidates should have
experience working with diverse data sets and interpreting results leading
to scientific publications. A working knowledge of programming and analysis
software such as python, MATLAB or R, and the Unix environment is necessary.

Desired skills:

Experience with climate model data and knowledge of marine ecological
processes are strongly preferred. Experience with high-performance
computing environments is desired. For the KPg project, paleoclimate
experience, especially experience with proxy datasets, is strongly
preferred. Experience with fisheries would be useful for many of our
projects. Please don’t hesitate to apply if you don’t think you have all
the above qualifications, we are committed to training our lab members and
offering opportunities to diverse folks.

Post-bachelor and post-master researchers

I haven’t hired post-master’s and post-bachelor’s researchers yet but look
forward to hearing from you if you have skills related to the above
projects and we will talk more about what is possible. Minimum you should
have some programming skills and experience working with datasets. See
above for desired experience.

PhD research associates

We are actively seeking one or more new Ph.D. students, and students with a
Master’s in hand are strongly encouraged to apply, however this is not
required. Funding for students includes a stipend for tuition and living
expenses, as well as computer and conference travel funding. Student
stipends are $30K/year, plus tuition remission. We seek students who are
highly self-motivated, independent, and creative thinkers that are
enthusiastic about pursuing a career in oceanography, climate science,
climate data analysis, marine ecology, or similar topics. A strong
quantitative background, including physics and calculus is required, and
some experience with computer programming is strongly preferred. For all
projects below, there is also strong programming support by scientific
programmer Victoria Garza, who will be joining the lab full time in Jan
2022. All PhD research associates will need to relocate to Baton Rouge. For
more information on the PhD program, please see the DOCS admission
requirements page for information on prerequisites and procedures:
https://www.lsu.edu/cce/academics/graduate/docs/docs-admissions.php.

Applicants should contact Cheryl Harrison by Feb 15, 2022 by email at
cherylharrison at lsu.edu. This email should include: (1) a brief statement
describing your research interests and career goals; (2) a curriculum vitae
or resume; (3) an unofficial academic transcript

***********************************************************************************************
Cheryl S. Harrison, Assistant Professor

College of the Coast and Environment and Center for Computation and
Technology

Louisiana State University

Energy, Coast and Environment Building

Room 3177

93 S. Quad Dr.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

Email:  cherylharrison at lsu.edu
Phone: (225) 578-0727
Biophysical Ocean Modeling Lab:  http://chsharrison.wordpress.com/
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