Michigan Technological University is seeking a postdoctoral research associate to contribute to an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of marine microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and marine engineering. This project is part of a large interdisciplinary team aimed at developing a system for conversion of marine dissolved organic matter into electricity using microbial fuel cells.
We are looking for a postdoctoral research associate to coordinate field and lab efforts to characterize DOM concentration, composition and biodegradability across space and through time in support of remote sensing efforts to determine where and when the developed systems could be deployed. A key objective is to determine how operation of the fuel cell system may be affected by environmental conditions, and reciprocally how the system may affect the marine environment in the deployment area via continuous monitoring during deployments.
The postdoctoral position is available for 12 months with the possibility for renewal dependent upon satisfactory performance and funding. The full-time positions would start December 2024, depending on the availability of funding.
Responsibilities
- Perform research related to dissolved organic matter characterization and biodegradability.
- Lead field research efforts to collect oceanographic and biogeochemical samples and data from boats and ships in coastal marine environments.
- Provide guidance and supervision to both graduate students and undergraduate researchers in this area.
- Perform various field sampling, laboratory-scale and/or pilot-scale experiments.
- Coordinate among multidisciplinary teams to achieve project objectives.
- Preparing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Assisting with proposal writing and project administration.
- Implement best safety practices and continuous improvement.
Required Education, Certifications, Licensures
PhD in Biology, Ecology, Limnology/Oceanography, or closely related discipline.
Required Experience
- Field and lab experience in biogeochemistry, limnology or oceanography.
- Experience with coding languages such as R, Python, or Matlab.
- Track record of publications.
Desirable Education and/or Experience
- Deployment of water quality sensors and managing sensor data streams for data analysis, management, and archiving
- Experience with lab-based biogeochemical analyses for concentration and characterization of dissolved constituents in water.
- Analysis of multi-dimensional and/or time series data.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary research teams.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
- Ability to publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals.
- Managing and synthesizing datasets using R or Python.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and fostering a fair, objective, welcoming place to work for persons with a wide variety of personal characteristics and viewpoints.
