Modeling disease effects on animal behavior and population dynamics

University of Colorado System; Allenspark (CO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Collaborative research environment

Job summary

The University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a two-year NSF-funded Postdoctoral Scientist to model disease effects on animal behavior and population dynamics in coral reef fishes, focusing on Black Spot Syndrome and ecological consequences.

The position will integrate empirical data and ecological modeling, connect environment through infection to behavior and populations, with collaborative mentorship by Johnson and Gil labs, and a field component in Curaçao.

Qualifications

• PhD in ecology or related field.
• Strong quantitative and computational skills.
• Experience with dynamical population models and/or demographic modeling.
• Knowledge of agent-based modeling desirable.
• Experience with large ecological datasets beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement components to model BSS dynamics and ecological drivers.
• Create and apply population and simulation models.
• Integrate behavioral, disease, and demographic data.
• Connect processes across scales from environment to ecosystem.
• Collaborate with Johnson and Gil labs; mentor students.

Skills

Quantitative skills

Computational skills

Dynamical population models

Structured population models

Demographic modeling

Agent-based modeling

Education

PhD in ecology or related field

Tools

R

Python

Agent-based modeling

Job description

Job Summary

Postdoctoral Scientist: Modeling disease effects on animal behavior and population dynamics - University of Colorado Boulder

The Johnson and Gil Labs at the University of Colorado Boulder seek a quantitative ecologist for a two-year NSF-funded postdoctoral position investigating the emergence and ecological consequences of parasitic infection in coral reef fishes, with a particular focus on understanding how changes in infection and individual behaviors scale up to affect populations and ecosystems.

The postdoc will join a new NSF Biological Oceanography project led by PIs Pieter Johnson and Mike Gil examining Black Spot Syndrome (BSS) in roving herbivorous coral reef fishes. Our goal is to understand (1) where and why this parasitic infection is emerging, (2) how infection alters fish foraging and decision‑making, and (3) how these individual‑level effects propagate to influence fish populations, herbivory, and coral reef ecosystems.

A multiscale quantitative ecology opportunity: A central goal of the position is to connect processes across biological scales: environment & transmission → infection → individual behavior → population dynamics → ecosystem consequences. The project combines broad empirical datasets with behavioral experiments and ecological modeling. Historical museum collections, community‑science observations, and field surveys provide information on changes in infection over a century and throughout the Caribbean. These data, along with novel field experiments, create opportunities to 1) quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of disease emergence and identify ecological and environmental predictors of infection risk, and 2) develop theoretical models of the behavioral and ecological consequences of infection in reef fish.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

EBIO's disciplinary strengths include ecology, evolution, genetics, behavior, biology education research and systematics. Our research programs have relevance for global change, conservation biology, the spread of diseases, and revealing fundamental mechanisms underlying the structural and functional adaptations of organisms.

Research Areas

Our faculty specialize in many fields of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Interested in learning more? Visit the various research interests of our faculty.

In the Field

Our faculty, students and researchers travel the world to conduct research in ecology and evolution. Learn more about their experiences and stories in our In the Field articles.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

The postdoc will play a central role in developing and implementing multiple components of the project, including analysis of the spatial and temporal emergence of BSS and its environmental and ecological drivers; development and application of population and simulation models; and integration of behavioral, disease, and demographic data to understand the broader ecological consequences of infection. At the individual-to-ecosystem scale, new empirical data on how infection affects fish movement, foraging, and decision‑making will be incorporated into ecological models. The Gil Lab and collaborators have an existing large‑scale, spatially explicit agent‑based model of coral reef ecosystems, providing substantial modeling infrastructure on which to build. A particularly exciting challenge on which the postdoc will play a leading role will be to connect these individual‑based dynamics to more general demographic models. When can individual behavior, infection, and spatial interactions be captured by simpler population‑level relationships? Which behavioral and disease mechanisms actually matter for population trajectories? And when and how does simplifying individual‑level complexity cause us to miss important ecological dynamics? Thus, we seek candidates with a strong background in dynamical population modeling who are interested in disease / behavioral ecology and linking individual‑level mechanisms to population and ecosystem dynamics. Experience with agent‑based/individual‑based models is desirable but not required.

This is a collaborative empirical and theoretical project. The selected scientist will be jointly mentored by the Johnson Lab (disease ecology, parasitology, host–parasite interactions, and large‑scale disease patterns) and Gil Lab (behavioral ecology, animal decision‑making, theoretical ecology, and coral reef ecology), with the position formally split approximately 50:50 between the two labs.

The project also includes summer fieldwork in Curaçao, giving the postdoc opportunities to participate directly in collecting the empirical data that inform and test these analyses and models. The postdoc will contribute to data synthesis and analysis, manuscript development, mentoring of graduate and undergraduate researchers, and the broader intellectual development of the project. There will also be considerable scope for the successful candidate to develop complementary questions that build on their own interests.

What You Should Know

• This is a two‑year position that will be based at the University of Colorado Boulder. The desired start date is January 2027, though later start dates will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis. Salary will be commensurate with experience and University of Colorado Boulder guidelines.

What We Can Offer

This is a two‑year, full‑time position with full benefits. The salary for this role is $60K annually.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well‑being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world‑class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America’s Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Applicants should have a PhD in ecology, evolutionary biology, applied mathematics, quantitative biology, fisheries science, or a related field, along with strong quantitative and computational skills.


• We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in dynamical population models, structured population models, demographic modeling, or related theoretical approaches, who want to apply their expertise to new questions at the intersection of disease, behavior, population ecology, and coral reef ecology. Additional experience with disease ecology, agent‑based modeling, behavioral ecology, movement ecology, marine ecology, or analysis of large ecological datasets would be valuable, but we do not expect candidates to bring expertise in all of these areas.