WorldFish Penang Postdoctoral Fellowships in Malaysia: Requirements, Research Focus, and Application Steps

SureTripAcademia; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 167,000 - 213,000; Full time

Job summary

WorldFish Penang offers a postdoctoral fellowship focused on postharvest technology, fisheries ecology, and aquatic health with international collaborators. Fellows conduct fieldwork in coastal communities and laboratories, driving applied research on sustainable fisheries, disease management, and food security.

Applicants should hold a PhD and demonstrate strong publication records, with proficiency in quantitative/qualitative methods and English language skills; Swahili/Portuguese/French are

Qualifications

• PhD in the specified scientific fields.
• Publication record appropriate to career stage.
• Methodological skills in quantitative/qualitative research, field tools, and analytical software.
• Fluent English; Swahili, Portuguese, or French advantageous for fieldwork.
• Adaptability to work independently in remote field settings.

Responsibilities

• Design participatory field experiments with fishing communities.
• Process datasets using statistical, spatial, or epidemiological tools.
• Publish peer‑reviewed articles in international journals.
• Prepare donor reports for agencies such as the UK Blue Planet Fund.
• Train junior scientists, enumerators, and graduate students.

Education

PhD in Postharvest Food Technology, Fisheries Ecology, Aquatic Animal Health, Agricultural Economics, Development Sociology, or Marine Biology

Tools

Analytical software

Job description

WorldFish Penang Postdoctoral Fellowships in Malaysia: Requirements, Research Focus, and Application Steps

Author:Michael |Published:August 9, 2026

WorldFish operates as an international research center under the CGIAR global partnership, focusing on aquatic food systems across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The organization’s global headquarters sits in Batu Maung, Penang, Malaysia. Postdoctoral fellows stationed at headquarters or affiliated field offices conduct applied scientific research to address food security, aquatic animal health, and sustainable fisheries management.

Table of Contents

Postdoctoral fellows are classified as Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS). Compensation is structured as follows:

• Base Salary: USD $40,900–$52,000 annually, adjusted for project type and prior experience.
• Monthly housing allowance plus airfare for relocation and repatriation.
• Tuition assistance for dependent children and annual home-leave airfare.
• Medical coverage, life insurance, disability protection, and pension contributions.
• Initial two-year appointment, renewable based on performance and project funding cycles.
• Development of solar-powered cooling and low-cost drying systems to reduce spoilage.
• Data collection in coastal fisheries and co-design of sustainable harvesting practices with local communities.
• Research on diseases such as Tilapia Lake Virus for breeding platforms in Malaysia.
• Studies on market access and policy impacts on vulnerable coastal populations.

What Fellows Should Expect

Assignments combine laboratory work with extensive field engagement.

• Regular travel to sites in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Bangladesh.
• Collaboration with economists, geneticists, data scientists, and government partners.
• Teamwork with scientists from multiple countries, requiring strong communication skills.
• Fellows manage field trials and manuscript preparation under senior supervision.

Core Responsibilities of Successful Fellows

Postdoctoral fellows are accountable for:

• Designing participatory field experiments with fishing communities.
• Processing datasets using statistical, spatial, or epidemiological tools.
• Publishing peer-reviewed articles in international journals.
• Preparing donor reports for agencies such as the UK Blue Planet Fund.
• Training junior scientists, enumerators, and graduate students.

Who can Apply for WorldFish Penang Postdoc Fellowships

Applicants must demonstrate strong academic and practical research credentials:

• PhD in Postharvest Food Technology, Fisheries Ecology, Aquatic Animal Health, Agricultural Economics, Development Sociology, or Marine Biology.
• Publication Record appropriate to career stage in peer-reviewed journals.
• Methodological Skills in quantitative/qualitative research, field tools, and analytical software.
• Language: Fluent English required; Swahili, Portuguese, or French advantageous for fieldwork.
• Adaptability: Ability to work independently in remote field settings.

Application Documents

• Cover Letter explaining alignment with the fellowship’s research focus.
• Curriculum Vitae with publications, field experience, and technical skills.
• Contact details for three professional references.
• Academic transcripts or official letter confirming PhD completion/defense date.