Position Announcement
Postdoctoral Research Associate (GS-401 Series): Seabird Population
Ecology and Dynamics
Agency: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Duty Station: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel/Beltsville, MD
Job Description: The USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center seeks a highly
motivated individual with a Ph.D. for a two year postdoctoral research
position to work on seabird population modeling. The incumbent will be
expected to develop predictive distribution models of seabirds in a GIS
framework using hierarchical modeling techniques. The successful applicant
will be expected to interact with scientists, post-docs, and biologists in
the Quantitative Ecology/Status and Trends Group at Patuxent.
Background: Wind power is a promising source of alternative energy for the
future but there is concern about the potential for adverse effects on
seabirds along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. To address this issue,
ecological information is needed to assist regulatory agencies (e.g.,
Minerals Management Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service) in assessing
the potential for conflict between seabird populations and proposed
offshore wind turbines. USGS scientists have recently developed a
relational database of information on seabird occurrences between Maine and
Florida. The dataset contains survey data dating back decades and collected
under a variety of sampling/survey designs. Specifically, the research
will focus on using these data along with biophysical information
characterizing the continental shelf zone (of the region) to develop models
in a GIS framework. The work will evaluate the effects and importance of
different factors on seabird distributions at different scales. This work
will examine the more general issue of species distribution modeling using
hierarchical models, a technique that has gained recent attention by
ecologists in deciphering the importance of biotic and abiotic variables at
varying scales. Ultimately, the project goal is to provide natural
resource agencies with information to guide wind energy projects and other
offshore development to minimize impacts on seabirds.
Funding has been secured for 24 months.
Position Requirements: Applicants should have a recent Ph.D. in ecology or
conservation biology with a strong emphasis in biometry and/or applied
statistics or a degree in statistics with an emphasis in ecology or
zoology.
Knowledge of R or S+ programming is required.
Desirable attributes:
Qualifications should include 1) experience in statistical modeling and
inference to address applied wildlife conservation issues; 2) knowledge of
concepts surrounding likelihood estimation, Bayesian theory, and MCMC; 3)
experience in, spatial sampling of animal populations, spatial ecology, and
community ecology; 4) an interest in the management of wildlife
populations; 5) the ability to work independently and also cooperatively
with agency representatives/managers, biologists, and other research
scientists; 6) experience in written and oral communication, including
preparing multi-authored manuscripts and technical reports; and 7) good
organization and interpersonal skills.
Start Date: December 2008, no later than 12/31.
Salary: equivalent to a GS-12 ($69K) on the federal government’s pay scale
for Maryland/DC/Virginia (see www.opm.gov) + benefits.
Contact and Application: Allan O’Connell at USGS, Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center, c/o BARC Bldg. 308E, Rm:213, 10300 Baltimore Ave.,
Beltsville, MD 20705 (301-497-5525) or preferably via email:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 301-497-5624. Package should include 1) letter of
interest, professional interests, and career goals, 2) resume, relevant
experiences, and list of relevant classes, and 3) contact information and
two or three reference contacts.
