Postdoctoral Scholar: Ecological Drivers of Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) Habitat Use Position Overview School / Campus / College: College of the Environment Organization: Aquatic and Fishery Sciences Title: Postdoctoral Scholar: Ecological Drivers of Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) Habitat Use Position Details Position Description The School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences (SAFS) at the University of
Washington, in partnership with the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) and NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar to lead an innovative, multi-disciplinary study investigating the ecological drivers of southern resident killer whale (SRKW) habitat use. The successful candidate will leverage existing environmental DNA
(eDNA) samples, oceanographic data, and passive acoustic data to improve ecosystem-based assessments of SRKW habitat use and characterize prey communities. The Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS) will be physically located in Seattle, WA, joining an established team of fisheries scientists, ecological modelers and molecular geneticists at NWFSC and UW. The Postdoctoral Scholar will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Kim
Parsons (NOAA NWFSC) and Dr. Amy Van Cise (UW SAFS). Primary responsibilities include expanding bioinformatic approaches to process eDNA metabarcoding and qPCR datasets, quantifying fish prey community composition, and mapping predator-prey distributions against oceanographic variables to inform management actions to support the recovery of the endangered SRKWs. Multi-modal datastreams will further be used to develop
a unified statistical detection model for killer whales, integrating eDNA concentrations, passive acoustic detection rates, and visual sightings to establish a monitoring index for coastal continental shelf waters. The successful candidate will lead peer-reviewed publications, participate in monthly science meetings and present research findings, both formally and informally. This is a full time, 12-month (1-year)
position with possibility of reappointment for a second year, dependent on performance and funding. University of Washington Postdoctoral Scholar appointments are for a temporary, defined period not to exceed five years/60 months, including any previous postdoctoral experience. Applicants who have met all doctoral degree requirements but have not yet had their degrees conferred may apply. Such candidates will be
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