Postdoctoral Scholar: Modeling Nearshore Plumes

[nidzieko]

A 2-year postdoctoral research position is available in the coastal oceanography group at University of California Davis (resident at Bodega Marine Laboratory, BML) as part of an NSF-funded project investigating the fate and transport of zoonotic pathogens in the marine environment. The successful candidate will have experience in numerical modeling of coastal circulation and the ability to innovatively use numerical models to address pathogen pollution of nearshore waters off California.

The postdoctoral researcher will implement and run a numerical model to address interdisciplinary project questions regarding the fate of land runoff and associated particles and aggregates in coastal waters. This will involve semi-idealized simulations of nearshore flows and small river plumes, and the use of a Lagrangian particle-tracking model. The aim of the overall project is to relate the potential distributions of particles in the coastal zone to the incidence of disease in California sea otters. This modeling task will require insight and critical thinking to translate high-resolution model results to comparatively coarse biological data in order to link the two in the development of a disease-risk model for southern sea otters off central California. The postdoc will also be expected to participate in fieldwork and collaboration workshops.

The postdoctoral researcher will work with colleagues from Bodega Marine Lab and the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis as well as with colleagues from Horn Point Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The postdoc will receive mentoring as part of the BML community.

Appointment: This 2-year appointment will start as soon as possible, with the expectation that the appointee will start work by 1st September 2011. A PhD is required.

To Apply: Please send a letter of application, a recent resume, names and contact info for 3 referees, and a copy of a pertinent first-author paper via email to both John Largier (jlargier@ucdavis.edu) and Nicholas Nidzieko (nidzieko@umces.edu) by 10th July 2011. Given the short lead-time, early applications are encouraged. Late applications will be considered, but the review and selection process will start immediately.