Post Doctoral Scholar - Research

ucf; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Central Florida in Orlando invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Biology department within the COS. The successful candidate will pursue research at the intersection of freshwater ecology, evolution, conservation biology, and host-parasite interactions, focusing on freshwater mussels and their fish hosts.

The role offers opportunities to lead research projects, conduct field and lab work, analyze complex data, and contribute to grant development while mentoring

Qualifications

• Must have a Ph.D. in Ecology, Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Fisheries, Conservation Biology, or a closely related field by the start date.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings through scientific writing and presentations.
• Experience with freshwater mussels, fish, or other aquatic organisms is desired.

Responsibilities

• Develop and conduct independent and collaborative research projects on freshwater ecology and related areas.
• Design and conduct field, laboratory, and mesocosm experiments according to project needs.
• Analyze diverse biological datasets with quantitative methods.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication and present at conferences.
• Contribute to grant proposals and new research directions.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students involved in lab and field work.
• Participate in field sampling and lab activities including mussel and fish collection.
• Collaborate with researchers within UCF and external partners.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, collaborative research environment.

Skills

Freshwater ecology

Evolutionary ecology

Conservation biology

Host-parasite interactions

Field biology

Statistical analysis

Scientific writing

Mentoring

Grant development

Education

Ph.D. in Ecology, Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Fisheries, Conservation Biology, or closely related field

Tools

R

Python

Statistical software

Job description

Profile of the dept. or college UCF College of Sciences :

The UCF College of Sciences (COS) is the largest college at the university and a powerhouse for the regional and national STEM workforce, spanning the natural, computational, physical, and social sciences and housing centers, institutes and initiatives that serve as hubs for research and innovation.

Through sharing and applying knowledge, COS is cultivating pathways for students to solve our world's most pressing and complex problems. With a mission to provide a world-class education in an environment where faculty, staff, and students thrive, research flourishes, and our community prospers; a number of COS academic programs are among those nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report , Princeton Review , and others.

For more information, please visit https://sciences.ucf.edu .

The Opportunity (Job description):

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Biology department in the College of Sciences (COS) seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Scholar.

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The successful candidate will conduct research at the intersection of freshwater ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, and host-parasite interactions, with a focus on freshwater mussels and their fish hosts.

The postdoctoral researcher will have substantial opportunity to develop and lead research projects within the broader goals of the lab, while contributing to ongoing research on freshwater biodiversity, species interactions, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape freshwater communities. The position offers opportunities for field research, laboratory experimentation, quantitative analyses, manuscript preparation, grant development, and collaboration with researchers at UCF and other institutions.

We particularly welcome candidates interested in developing independent research directions that complement the lab's work on freshwater mussel-fish interactions, host compatibility, infection biology, conservation, and ecological responses to environmental change.

Responsibilities:

The Postdoctoral Scholar will perform:

• Develop and conduct independent and collaborative research projects focused on freshwater ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, or related areas.


• Design and conduct Design and conduct field, laboratory, and/or mesocosm experiments, depending on research interests and project needs.


• Investigate ecological and evolutionary interactions between freshwater mussels, fish hosts, and their associated parasites.


• Analyze ecological, morphological, physiological, molecular, or other biological datasets using appropriate quantitative and statistical approaches.


• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present research at scientific conferences.


• Contribute to preparation of grant proposals and development of new research directions.


• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students involved in laboratory and field research.


• Participate in field sampling and laboratory activities, including freshwater mussel and fish collection and processing.


• Collaborate with researchers within UCF and external partners.


• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative research environment

Minimum Qualifications :

Must have a Ph.D. in Ecology, Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Fisheries, Conservation Biology, or a closely related field by the start date.

.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Research experience in freshwater ecology, aquatic ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, fisheries, or host-parasite interactions .


• Experience with quantitative data analysis and statistical methods .


• Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings through scientific writing and presentations.


• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.


• Experience working with freshwater mussels, fish, or other aquatic organisms .


• Experience designing and conducting laboratory, mesocosm, or field experiments .


• Experience with infection biology, host-parasite interactions, fish-mussel interactions, or experimental ecology .


• Experience with molecular, histological, physiological, morphological, or other organismal approaches.


• Proficiency in R or other statistical/programming languages .


• Experience with multivariate statistics, phylogenetic comparative methods, or other quantitative approaches.


• Demonstrated ability to develop an independent research program and pursue external funding.


• Experience mentoring undergraduate or graduate students.


• Experience working in or leading field-based freshwater research, including aquatic organism collection