Post-Doctoral
Research Fellowship:
Estimating abundance
of insular cetaceans in Hawaiian waters
Hawaii Institute of
Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Fellowship description and duties:
The Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) (www.mmrphawaii.org) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (https://www.hawaii.edu/himb/), in close collaboration with NOAA’s Pacific
Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands), is seeking to recruit a postdoctoral
fellow in the area of marine mammal population assessment
(including abundance estimation and demographic
modelling), to join our lab. The successful candidate will design, lead and
implement research investigating the abundance of insular
cetaceans, with a main emphasis on spinner dolphins, off
the Main Hawaiian Islands.
Research context and specific focus:
Hawaii has an unparalleled richness of
natural resources and biodiversity that includes 30
species of whales and dolphins in its State and Federal
waters. Cetaceans serve an important educational, economic
and cultural role in Hawaii. Hawaii also hosts a rich
cultural history, strong industries based on tourism and
fisheries, vast renewable energy resources (e.g. wind and
solar), and a significant strategic contingent of our
Nation’s defence – with some of these having the potential
to negatively impact Hawaii's cetaceans. While cetaceans
are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and
the Endangered Species Act, many of their current and
emerging threats are not well-understood.
Given the important value of marine mammals
throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and coupled with the
current levels of human pressures, it is important to
manage cetaceans sustainably through informed science.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries)
Pacific Islands Region is mandated to assess, study and
manage over 140 stocks of cetaceans across >2 million
square miles across the North, South and Western Pacific
basins. The scope and scale of NOAA’s significant mandate
unfortunately leaves some important species and emerging
problems unaddressed.
The MMRP is a research laboratory whose
specific mission is to bridge rigorous science with
management and implementation into policy. The MMRP is
working closely with PIFSC to help address some of their
needs. The successful candidate will be tasked to
specifically focus on developing robust quantitative
assessments of abundance (and potentially demography,
and/or human-impacts) for insular cetacean species in the
Main Hawaiian Islands. The post may involve working at the
cutting edge of current population estimation methods, and
potentially developing new methods if current approaches
do not suffice. Potential exists for collaboration with
leading statistical ecologists based at St Andrews
University, Scotland.
It is expected that the successful candidate
will liaise and collaborate with local, regional, and
international scientists and stakeholders to ensure
maximum applicability and utility of the research
findings.
Required qualifications:
· A Ph.D. in either (1) ecology with strong
quantitative component, (2) statistics/ mathematics with a
strong ecological component; (3) bioacoustics with
demonstrable components of ecology and statistics;
· An excellent track record demonstrating
advanced skills in wildlife population assessment (i.e.
estimation of abundance and/or other demographic
parameters;
· An excellent publication record illustrating
ability to conduct novel, independent research.
· Demonstrated proficiency
with R (or related programming languages) and with
software tools for wildlife population assessment;
· Demonstrated aptitude for applying advanced
computational tools in a research setting;
· Considerable experience processing,
manipulating, and analyzing large datasets;
· Excellent organizational and problem-solving
skills;
· Strong attention to detail, and meticulous
work style, as evidenced by previous research;
· Excellent time management skills, including
the ability to meet project goals in a timely manner, and
follow through on projects to completion;
· Demonstrated ability
to mentor, or an interest in mentoring, junior laboratory
members;
· Strong interpersonal and communication
skills, including the ability to work both independently
and collaboratively, and to communicate research findings
at professional meetings and in
high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
Desirable qualifications:
· PhD on marine mammals.
· An excellent track record in the design,
successful execution, analysis and publication of wildlife
population assessment surveys, particularly for abundance
estimation, and in the context of marine mammal surveys.
· Demonstrable understanding of advanced
abundance estimation methods including distance sampling,
capture-recapture, spatial capture-recapture, and other
emerging approaches.
· Demonstrated ability to develop new
statistical methods, or work closely with those developing
such methods.
· Experience in the use of passive acoustic
monitoring.
· Experience as a small boat operator.
· Ability to travel
for fieldwork and conferences.
Research Environment:
The postdoc will be based in the lab of Lars
Bejder (www.mmrphawaii.org) at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
(HIMB). HIMB is within the School of Ocean and Earth
Science and Technology (SOEST; www.soest.hawaii.edu) at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa. HIMB provides unparalleled
research opportunities, in particular due to its unique
location on Moku o Loe Island (Coconut Island) in Kaneohe Bay on the windward side of the island of
Oahu (~ 24 km from the main university campus in Manoa).
The successful candidate will work in close collaboration
with the NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Centre
(PIFSC). It is expected that the candidate will contribute
to mentoring graduate students in the MMRP lab, and
actively engage, participate and contribute to other areas
of research and administration in the program.
The MMRP is rapidly developing a supportive
and stimulating research environment with a group of
highly collegial scientists who are committed to
scientific outreach and policy, to open science, and to
enhancing diversity in STEM. We offer a family-friendly,
flexible work environment where work-life balance is
encouraged.
Appointment and application:
The postdoc fellowship is initially for one
year, renewable for up to three-four years based on
performance. Fellowship stipend is commensurate with
experience within guidelines set by the university. The
start date is negotiable, but preferably in early 2020.
To apply: Candidates
should submit the following materials via email to Dr
Bejder (lbejder@hawaii.edu) in a
single PDF document, with your last name in the file name
and the subject heading “MMRPpostdoc
application” by 20 October 2019 (Hawaii–Aleutian
Standard Time):
· A letter explaining your motivation for
applying for this fellowship, how your prior research experience qualifies you for the
fellowship, how you satisfy the required and desirable
qualifications, and your career goals;
· A CV (including publication list, which may
include publications in advanced
stages of preparation that will be likely in the review
process by the above postdoctoral fellowship deadline
date);
· Names and contact details for three
references.
Individual qualifications
and background, academic excellence, and collegiality will
be the primary criteria in selecting the successful
candidate.
We are committed to equality and diversity and
encourage applications from women, underrepresented
minorities, indigenous peoples, and persons with
disabilities.