Post Doctoral Scholar - Research

Profile of the dept. or college UCF College of Sciences:

The UCF College of Sciences (COS) is the largest college at the university and a powerhouse for the regional and national STEM workforce, spanning the natural, computational, physical, and social sciences and housing centers, institutes and initiatives that serve as hubs for research and innovation.

Through sharing and applying knowledge, COS is cultivating pathways for students to solve our world’s most pressing and complex problems. With a mission to provide a world-class education in an environment where faculty, staff, and students thrive, research flourishes, and our community prospers; a number of COS academic programs are among those nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report, Princeton Review, and others.

For more information, please visit https://sciences.ucf.edu.

The Opportunity (Job description):

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Biology department in the College of Sciences (COS) seeks to hire a Postdoctoral Scholar.  

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The successful candidate will conduct research at the intersection of freshwater ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, and host–parasite interactions, with a focus on freshwater mussels and their fish hosts.

The postdoctoral researcher will have substantial opportunity to develop and lead research projects within the broader goals of the lab, while contributing to ongoing research on freshwater biodiversity, species interactions, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape freshwater communities. The position offers opportunities for field research, laboratory experimentation, quantitative analyses, manuscript preparation, grant development, and collaboration with researchers at UCF and other institutions.

We particularly welcome candidates interested in developing independent research directions that complement the lab's work on freshwater mussel–fish interactions, host compatibility, infection biology, conservation, and ecological responses to environmental change.

Responsibilities:

The Postdoctoral Scholar will perform: 

• Develop and conduct independent and collaborative research projects focused on freshwater ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, or related areas.

• Design and conduct Design and conduct field, laboratory, and/or mesocosm experiments, depending on research interests and project needs.
• Investigate ecological and evolutionary interactions between freshwater mussels, fish hosts, and their associated parasites.
• Analyze ecological, morphological, physiological, molecular, or other biological datasets using appropriate quantitative and statistical approaches.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present research at scientific conferences.
• Contribute to preparation of grant proposals and development of new research directions.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students involved in laboratory and field research.
• Participate in field sampling and laboratory activities, including freshwater mussel and fish collection and processing.
• Collaborate with researchers within UCF and external partners.

• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative research environment

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must have a Ph.D. in Ecology, Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Fisheries, Conservation Biology, or a closely related field by the start date.

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Preferred Qualifications:

• Research experience in freshwater ecology, aquatic ecology, evolutionary ecology, conservation biology, fisheries, or host–parasite interactions.

• Experience with quantitative data analysis and statistical methods.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate research findings through scientific writing and presentations.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

• Experience working with freshwater mussels, fish, or other aquatic organisms.
• Experience designing and conducting laboratory, mesocosm, or field experiments.
• Experience with infection biology, host–parasite interactions, fish–mussel interactions, or experimental ecology.
• Experience with molecular, histological, physiological, morphological, or other organismal approaches.
• Proficiency in R or other statistical/programming languages.
• Experience with multivariate statistics, phylogenetic comparative methods, or other quantitative approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to develop an independent research program and pursue external funding.
• Experience mentoring undergraduate or graduate students.

• Experience working in or leading field-based freshwater research, including aquatic organism collection

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/.  In addition to the online application, candidates should upload:

• CV/Resume

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

NOTE: When applying, please have all your documents ready to upload at the same time. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Are Benefits Important to You?

State Benefits eligibility for OPS employees are subject to criteria established by the State of Florida. The state’s benefits administrator, People First, determines eligibility and coordinates enrollment. If this position becomes eligible for state benefits the employee will be notified directly by People First.  OPS positions are not entitled to paid time off. 

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, post-doctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department

Work Schedule

Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.  

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. 

For general application or posting questions, please email [email protected].

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please email [email protected].