Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Watershed Science/Coastal Disease Ecology Postdoc

Urban watersheds Postdoctoral Researcher

Application Period: September 5 - October 2, 2024

Pay:  SI-grade 9, $68,405 plus benefits (This is NOT a Federal position.)

Contract Period: 1-year subject to renewal depending on performance

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted on-line through the Smithsonian portal at this link.  Please include a brief cover letter outlining how you meet the qualifications, a CV, and the names of three references to the on-line portal by October 2, 2024.  Send any questions to Haler@si.edu. Do not send applications to this email address. 

Overview:

The SERC Watershed Science Lab conducts research on the ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry of watersheds and stream networks. We are especially interested in understanding how land use and land management interact with climate to affect stream network functioning with respect to organic carbon and nutrient transformations and fluxes. The Coastal Disease Ecology Lab conducts research on the biogeography, epidemiology, and impact of parasites and pathogens in coastal ecosystems. We are especially interested in using molecular tools to examine parasite sources and movements trophically and geographically.

This position will support a collaborative project with the WS and CDE labs and the Anacostia River Keeper that is focused on understanding sources of fecal bacteria across the Anacostia Watershed and potential water quality proxies for assessing recreational water safety. This position will involve a wide range of field, lab, and data analysis approaches, as well as collaboration with community partners. Applicants need strong molecular laboratory and data analysis skills, including experience with bioinformatics. The postdoc will have the opportunity to work closely with an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary team and will be co-mentored by the two PIs. Mentorship will include regular meetings with PIs, career planning and professional development opportunities (e.g., development of an individualized development plan, guidance on networking, scientific communication, mentorship, and proposal writing, opportunities to publish, develop scientific and community networks, and opportunities to submit proposals). SERC has a large postdoc cohort which provides a broader community of peers.

Key responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with project team to identify program goals and coordinate field and lab work;
• Work closely with Riverkeeper partners to coordinate sample collection, transportation, and analysis;
• Extract genomic DNA, run qPCR assays, generate amplicon next generation sequencing (NGS) libraries
• Conduct bioinformatic analyses for amplicon NGS data
• Calibration, maintenance, troubleshooting of in situ multiparameter water quality sensors
• Regular water sampling and lab processing for water chemistry samples;
• Organize and document data, including digitization, quality control, and metadata documentation.
• Data analysis and visualization, manuscript preparation, and formal presentations of results

Required qualifications:

• PhD in ecology, environmental science, geosciences, or a related discipline
• Competent data entry and management skills
• Competent genetic laboratory skills (i.e., DNA extraction, PCR, metabarcode library preparation)
• Water quality monitoring experience, including grab sample collection and processing
• Well-organized, able to work as part of a team, able to work independently, able to problem solve, good communication skills, attention to detail
• Must hold a valid driver’s license

Preferred qualifications:

• Management and analysis of genetic data using R
• Practical knowledge of field research procedures along with general knowledge of watershed ecology
• Experience engaging with diverse stakeholders preferred.
• Successful publication record is preferred
• Experience maintaining water quality sensors

The position is based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD and requires local travel. This is a full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package. The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the US. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race/ethnicity, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital/parental/caregiver status and disability. The SERC community recognizes the value of diversity in promoting innovative science and creative solutions, and we strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

About SERC

SERC is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to environmental research and education. SERC’s 2,650-acre campus is a living laboratory for long-term ecosystem research on forests, farmland, wetlands, shorelines and estuaries. SERC is strategically located in a rural landscape with immediate proximity to the Baltimore-Washington DC-Annapolis urban system on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay and central to the Bay’s large watershed. Our vibrant community of 150 staff includes principal investigators, educators, technicians, postdocs, and graduate and undergraduate researchers, who annually engage and collaborate with interns, 500+ volunteers, and 15,000 public visitors. Research and education at SERC address grand challenges in environmental science by working across ecological scales, conducting long-term studies, and engaging in comparative, synthetic studies. Our scientists collaborate across the Smithsonian Institution and with federal and state agencies, universities, and international organizations. We value public engagement and have strong programs in citizen science, science education, and science communication.