Postdoctoral Research Associate - Hard Clam Research and Breeding Program Leader

Minimum requirement: the appointee shall have received the doctorate in a field appropriate to the assigned duties and responsibilities.

About the Role

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. This position will work with the hard clam aquaculture industry to address challenges associated with shellfish culture.

Responsibilities

• Manage a selective breeding program for hard clams, working in concert with clam farmers and a private company conducting genetic analyses.
• Conduct independent research evaluating environmental stressors influencing shellfish aquaculture in the Cedar Key, FL region.
• Develop research priorities in collaboration with industry, including applying for extramural funding.
• Explore culture methodologies that can mitigate shellfish mortality, working in collaboration with shellfish farmers.
• Work closely with clam farmers to evaluate factors contributing to growth and survival.
• Engage in public outreach via social media and press releases about research updates.
• Participate in professional organizations addressing shellfish aquaculture, including presentations at conferences.
• Communicate research results and implications directly with industry.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. (foreign equivalent acceptable) in biology, ecology, genetics, or physiology with experience in working with shellfish.
• Supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.
• Commitment to UF core values.

Preferred:

• Research experience in shellfish ecology/physiology and/or aquaculture.
• Understanding of genetic methods.
• Experience with field-based research experiments.

About the Organization

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties. IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, including approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel.

This position will be co-supervised by the Director of the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station and the Associate Director of the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences.