Postdoctoral Research Associate - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health
Oak Ridge National Lab (Federal) | https://www.ornl.gov/group/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-health
Details
Application Deadline:
06/03/2024
Published:
02/13/2024
Starting Date:
between 5/1/2024 and 6/3/2024
Hours per Week:
at least 40
Salary:
Commensurate / Negotiable
Education Required:
Doctorate
Experience Required:
none
Location:
1504 (Oak Ridge, Tennessee)
Tags:
Faculty / Post-Doc Appointments
Description
The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Group within the Environmental Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks a postdoctoral researcher with an understanding of aquatic biology and chemistry, with a specific focus on contaminant behavior and bioaccumulation in freshwater systems. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of environmental scientists at ORNL to understand the chemical and ecological factors controlling mercury methylation and bioaccumulation in contaminated aquatic systems and will develop experimental designs aimed at mitigating methylmercury bioaccumulation.
Mercury is one of the most pervasive and widespread contaminants worldwide but the relationship between environmental mercury concentrations, methylmercury production, and mercury bioaccumulation is poorly understood. Because methylmercury bioaccumulation in fish poses both a human health and ecological risk, there is a need to understand both the chemical and ecological drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in aquatic systems. In particular, the candidate will examine the effects of filter feeders on mercury dynamics in stream systems. As keystone species in freshwater ecosystems, freshwater bivalves can drastically affect water quality, habitat, and food web structures, and consequently their presence may also affect mercury bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. The results from this project will be useful in guiding future remediation efforts at Oak Ridge but will also provide a fundamental understanding of the processes governing mercury bioaccumulation in stream systems.
Major Duties/Responsibilities:
- Conduct microcosm experiments, such as bioaccumulation experiments of mercury into freshwater bivalves and periphyton
- Conduct mesocosm experiments, such as empirically manipulating mercury bioavailability, concentration, etc. to decrease bioaccumulation of mercury into fish and investigate bioaccumulation of mercury through periphyton
- Publish and present research results in journals and at conferences
- Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.
Basic Qualifications:
- A PhD in aquatic ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental science, or a related field completed within the last 5 years
- Experience with experimental design
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, able to present and publish their research
- A proven publication records.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary research team.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with analytical chemistry techniques to measure stable and/or radio isotopes of metals (e.g., mass spectroscopy, atomic absorption, or radio spectrometry) is preferred.
- Experience working with mercury is strongly desired, but not required.
- Candidates should be well versed in experimental design, data analysis, modeling, and statistics.
- Experience coding in R or Python is a plus.
- Experience conducting bioaccumulation or ecotoxicological experiments
- Experience culturing and experimenting on freshwater mussels
We will begin reviewing applicants on March 4, 2024.
Contact
Louise Stevenson
stevensonlm@ornl.gov (preferred contact method)