DEPARTMENT: Research

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION: Exempt (Salaried) 

Supervisory Responsibility: No

JOB SUMMARY: Consistently exhibit excellent representation of the aquarium through a positive, energetic, and teamwork-focused work ethic. Mystic Aquarium is seeking a Postdoctoral Investigator (PDI) to address noise impacts on aquatic species, particularly beluga whales, seals and turtles. Many animals use underwater hearing and sound, rather than sight, to enact key activities such as foraging, communication and navigation. This project will develop and carry out research to address initial behavioral and physiological effects of relevant and various types of sound exposures on marine mammals and turtles. This project is in collaboration with colleagues at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. Therefore, the PDI, based at Mystic Aquarium, CT, will have the opportunity to work closely with multiple PIs to lead a research study and assist in related projects, spending time as a visiting scientist in Woods Hole, MA, and Seattle, WA. The researcher will work as part of an interdisciplinary team composed of scientists who are focused on understanding the effects of noise on marine animals. Our research includes bioacoustics, communication, noise impacts, behavior, physiology, hearing, microbiomes, and eDNA. 

Potential experiments may include: Investigating sound induced effects on: physiology, foraging behavior and feeding rates, intraspecific communication (both acoustic and visual), spatial avoidance and use of habitat, and hearing including masking effects.

The PDI ideally will have experience in experimental design, bioacoustics, and coding (including Matlab or similar). Background and experience in behavioral research, tagging related research such as DTAGs, or physiology of stress will be considered.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Marine Science, Biological sciences, Ethology, or a related field.

• Excellent verbal communication skills, including explaining science to a variety of age groups and experience levels

• Adaptable and flexible to changing plans

• Experience coding and working with large datasets

• Experience with bioacoustics

• Ability to work in the lab and in the field, as part of a large team as well as by oneself

• Able to travel for extended periods

Responsibilities & Essential Functions:

• Working with a team and multiple facilities. Management of acoustic research projects at the Aquarium and WHOI facilities.

• Data collection, management and database maintenance

• Data analysis and visualization

• Interpretation of results and integration with broader research knowledge

• Writing reports and manuscripts related to these efforts as lead author, and assisting in writing and editing reports and manuscripts as co-author

• Preparing presentations and presenting at workshops, meetings and scientific conferences

Safety/Security

• Work in a safe manner at all times.

• Properly use and keep, in good order, all personal protective equipment (PPE) supplied to them as protection from recognized hazards.

• Report any unsafe condition.

• Must have a working knowledge of all facility-wide and department-specific safety procedures that relate to their position, including but not limited to: Emergency Evacuation, Lockdown Procedure, and Fire Extinguisher Use.