Postdoctoral Associate - Aquaculture Nutrition & Insect Bioconversion

Primary Responsibilities

• BSFL Rearing & Bioconversion Trials
• Implement and evaluate arsenic mitigation strategies.
• Monitor and record substrate composition, larval growth, survival, biomass yield, feed conversion efficiency, and frass output.
• Coordinate mid-scale validation trials, simulating commercial production conditions.

Nutritional & Toxicological Analysis

• Conduct proximate composition analyses (crude protein, lipid, ash, moisture).
• Coordinate elemental analyses on BSFL biomass and frass.
• Coordinate arsenic speciation analyses (inorganic As(III)/As(V), MMA, DMA, arsenobetaine).
• Evaluate full nutritional profiles including amino acid and fatty acid composition of Sargassum-fed BSFL meal.
• Benchmark product safety and nutritional quality against AAFCO and FDA regulatory thresholds.

Aquaculture Feed Formulation & Feeding Trials

• Formulate experimental finfish diets incorporating regulatory-compliant Sargassum-derived BSFL meal at graded inclusion levels.
• Coordinate diet manufacturing with commercial feed partner.
• Design and execute controlled finfish feeding trials, collecting data on growth performance (SGR, DGC), feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, and tissue accumulation of heavy metals.
• Conduct statistical analyses of feeding trial data; compare diet groups and assess regulatory compliance of fish tissue metal concentrations.

Frass Fertilizer & Environmental Assessment

• Design and execute greenhouse/field trials assessing BSFL frass as organic fertilizer: agronomic performance, soil nutrient dynamics, and heavy metal transfer risk.
• Conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and cost-benefit analysis comparing BSFL bioconversion against conventional Sargassum disposal methods (landfilling, composting).

Scientific Dissemination & Stakeholder Engagement

• Author and submit a minimum of two peer-reviewed manuscripts during the project period.
• Produce technical reports, regulatory-facing factsheets, and project deliverable documentation.
• Present findings at relevant scientific conferences.
• Engage with municipal stakeholders, coastal management agencies, and private sector partners through workshops, site visits, and public briefings.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Aquaculture, Aquaculture Nutrition, Marine Biology, Animal Science, or a closely related field, awarded or expected by the start date.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience designing and executing BSFL rearing trials, including substrate formulation, growth monitoring, and biomass processing.
• Proven experience conducting controlled aquaculture feeding trials with finfish, including diet formulation, growth performance assessment (SGR, FCR), and statistical analysis.
• Working knowledge of proximate composition analysis, and familiarity with heavy metal analysis protocols or relevant analytical chemistry techniques.
• Demonstrated capacity for independent scientific writing; at least five (5) first-authored peer-reviewed publications in a relevant field.
• Experience with aquafeed ingredient evaluation and/or nutritional profiling of novel or alternative feed ingredients.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience with Hermetia illucens (BSFL) bioconversion systems, including substrate manipulation and nutritional modulation of larval products.
• Familiarity with AAFCO/FDA regulatory frameworks for feed ingredients, or food safety assessment of insect-derived products.
• Experience with aquafeed formulation software and least-cost diet optimization.
• Proficiency in R, SAS, or equivalent for statistical analysis of biological data.
• Experience engaging commercial aquaculture operations, feed manufacturers, or regulatory bodies.
• Track record of presenting research at professional conferences.