If you are interested in learning more, joining us, or collaborating, please use the appropriate form below or contact Dr. Jessie Jarvis
We're hiring!
FHAP Postdoctoral Scholar
For more information see below!
Postdoctoral Research Associate – Seagrass Community Ecology, Resilience, and Ecological Forecasting
The Coastal Plant Ecology Lab at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fisheries Habitat Assessment Program (FHAP), is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate long-term changes in benthic macrophyte communities in Florida Bay.
This position offers a unique opportunity to work with one of the longest-running seagrass monitoring programs in North America. The successful candidate will leverage more than three decades of benthic monitoring data to address questions related to community ecology, ecosystem function and resilience, disturbance ecology, climate change, and water management while contributing to science products that directly support Everglades Restoration.
The position is ideal for a quantitative ecologist with strong analytical skills, demonstrated field experience in coastal ecosystems, a record of peer-reviewed publications, and an interest in translating ecological science into management and restoration.
How to Apply
Applications for this position are accepted through the UNCW CSE Postdoctoral Scholar Pool. After reviewing the project description below, submit your application through the UNCW pooled postdoctoral position: https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/37550
Please indicate in your cover letter that you are applying for the Postdoctoral Research Associate – Seagrass Community Ecology, Resilience, and Ecological Forecasting position in Dr. Jessie Jarvis's Coastal Plant Ecology Lab.
Applicants should submit:
The anticipated start date is Fall 2026, although an earlier or later start date may be negotiated.
Questions about the position may be directed to:
Dr. Jessie C. Jarvis
Professor, Department of Biology and Marine Biology
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Center for Marine Science
Email: [email protected]
Why Join Our Lab?
This position provides an exceptional opportunity to develop an independent research program using one of the world's premier long-term seagrass datasets while working closely with natural resource managers responsible for the restoration of Florida Bay and the Everglades. The successful candidate will have the freedom to pursue innovative ecological questions while contributing directly to management decisions through collaborations with FHAP scientists, RECOVER scientists, and other academic partners.
Research Opportunities
The postdoctoral researcher will lead and contribute to studies addressing questions such as:
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have:
Preferred Qualifications
Preference will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of the following:
Appointment
This is a full-time, benefits-eligible postdoctoral position located at the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Marine Science in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The initial appointment is for one year, with the possibility of annual renewal based on satisfactory performance and funding availability.
About the Fisheries Habitat Assessment Program (FHAP)
Since 1995, FHAP has monitored seagrass and benthic macrophyte communities throughout Florida Bay, creating one of the longest continuous ecological monitoring datasets available for coastal ecosystems worldwide. These data provide unparalleled opportunities to investigate ecosystem responses to climate variability, hydrologic restoration, salinity change, species turnover, marine heatwaves, and major disturbance events. The successful candidate will contribute to both fundamental ecological science and management decisions supporting restoration of Florida Bay and the greater Everglades ecosystem.
This position offers a unique opportunity to work with one of the longest-running seagrass monitoring programs in North America. The successful candidate will leverage more than three decades of benthic monitoring data to address questions related to community ecology, ecosystem function and resilience, disturbance ecology, climate change, and water management while contributing to science products that directly support Everglades Restoration.
The position is ideal for a quantitative ecologist with strong analytical skills, demonstrated field experience in coastal ecosystems, a record of peer-reviewed publications, and an interest in translating ecological science into management and restoration.
How to Apply
Applications for this position are accepted through the UNCW CSE Postdoctoral Scholar Pool. After reviewing the project description below, submit your application through the UNCW pooled postdoctoral position: https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/37550
Please indicate in your cover letter that you are applying for the Postdoctoral Research Associate – Seagrass Community Ecology, Resilience, and Ecological Forecasting position in Dr. Jessie Jarvis's Coastal Plant Ecology Lab.
Applicants should submit:
- Cover letter describing research interests, qualifications, and fit for the position
- Current curriculum vitae
- Contact information for three professional references
- Up to three representative publications (optional but encouraged)
The anticipated start date is Fall 2026, although an earlier or later start date may be negotiated.
Questions about the position may be directed to:
Dr. Jessie C. Jarvis
Professor, Department of Biology and Marine Biology
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Center for Marine Science
Email: [email protected]
Why Join Our Lab?
This position provides an exceptional opportunity to develop an independent research program using one of the world's premier long-term seagrass datasets while working closely with natural resource managers responsible for the restoration of Florida Bay and the Everglades. The successful candidate will have the freedom to pursue innovative ecological questions while contributing directly to management decisions through collaborations with FHAP scientists, RECOVER scientists, and other academic partners.
Research Opportunities
The postdoctoral researcher will lead and contribute to studies addressing questions such as:
- Are mixed-species seagrass meadows more resistant and resilient to environmental variability, marine heatwaves, salinity extremes, storms, and other disturbances than single-species meadows?
- How are climate variability, restoration activities, and environmental fluctuations influencing seagrass and macroalgal community composition and ecosystem trajectories?
- Which environmental and biological indicators provide early warning signals of ecosystem decline, recovery, or state change?
- How do salinity, temperature, nutrient availability, and hydrologic restoration influence competitive interactions among seagrasses and macroalgae?
- Can long-term monitoring data be used to forecast ecosystem trajectories under alternative climate and management scenarios?
- How do changes in community composition influence ecosystem functions such as habitat provision, productivity, carbon dynamics, and water quality?
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Lead analyses of long-term seagrass and benthic macrophyte datasets from Florida Bay.
- Curate, integrate, and conduct quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) on FHAP datasets.
- Compile and integrate ancillary datasets including environmental monitoring, climate, hydrologic, geospatial, and remote sensing data.
- Develop and apply advanced statistical, ecological, and predictive modeling approaches.
- Collaborate with FHAP scientists, RECOVER scientists, and academic partners to develop and test ecological hypotheses relevant to restoration and ecosystem management.
- Publish findings in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- Present research at scientific conferences and stakeholder meetings.
- Assist with the development of research proposals and collaborative funding opportunities.
- Participate in seasonal FHAP field sampling, including seagrass surveys, environmental monitoring, and related field activities.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- Ph.D. in Ecology, Marine Science, Environmental Science, Biological Oceanography, Quantitative Ecology, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience analyzing complex ecological datasets.
- Strong quantitative and statistical skills, including proficiency in R or similar programming languages.
- Evidence of scientific productivity through peer-reviewed publications.
- Experience conducting field research in marine, estuarine, coastal, or aquatic ecosystems.
- Ability and willingness to participate in fieldwork from small boats and in challenging environmental conditions.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Preferred Qualifications
Preference will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of the following:
- Long-term ecological monitoring datasets
- Community ecology
- Ecological resilience
- Ecological modeling/forecasting
- Time-series analysis
- Bayesian statistics
- Multivariate statistics
- Machine learning
- Integration of environmental, climate, hydrologic, or remote sensing datasets
- Seagrass, macroalgal, estuarine, or coastal ecosystem ecology
- Translating ecological research into management or restoration applications
Appointment
This is a full-time, benefits-eligible postdoctoral position located at the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Marine Science in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The initial appointment is for one year, with the possibility of annual renewal based on satisfactory performance and funding availability.
About the Fisheries Habitat Assessment Program (FHAP)
Since 1995, FHAP has monitored seagrass and benthic macrophyte communities throughout Florida Bay, creating one of the longest continuous ecological monitoring datasets available for coastal ecosystems worldwide. These data provide unparalleled opportunities to investigate ecosystem responses to climate variability, hydrologic restoration, salinity change, species turnover, marine heatwaves, and major disturbance events. The successful candidate will contribute to both fundamental ecological science and management decisions supporting restoration of Florida Bay and the greater Everglades ecosystem.
Graduate Research opportunities
The Coastal Plant Ecology Lab at the University of North Carolina Wilmington works on questions related to coastal plant and seagrass ecology, including resilience, restoration, monitoring, and responses to environmental change. We regularly mentor graduate students pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biology or Marine Biology.
Prospective graduate students who are interested in joining the lab are encouraged to complete the Graduate Student Interest Form linked below. This form allows us to learn more about your academic background, research interests, and anticipated timeline. Completion of the form does not constitute an offer of admission, but helps determine whether there is alignment with current or upcoming research opportunities.
👉 Click here to complete the Graduate Student Interest Form
Students whose interests align with ongoing projects may be contacted to discuss next steps, including application timing and funding availability.
Prospective graduate students who are interested in joining the lab are encouraged to complete the Graduate Student Interest Form linked below. This form allows us to learn more about your academic background, research interests, and anticipated timeline. Completion of the form does not constitute an offer of admission, but helps determine whether there is alignment with current or upcoming research opportunities.
👉 Click here to complete the Graduate Student Interest Form
Students whose interests align with ongoing projects may be contacted to discuss next steps, including application timing and funding availability.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The Coastal Plant Ecology Lab welcomes undergraduate students interested in gaining hands-on research experience in coastal plant and seagrass ecology. Opportunities may include volunteer research, Directed Independent Study (DIS), and Honors research, depending on availability and timing.
Students interested in joining the lab should complete the Undergraduate Research Interest Form linked below. This form helps us learn more about your interests, availability, and academic goals. Submission of the form does not guarantee placement, but allows us to follow up when opportunities align with current projects.
👉 Click here to complete the Undergraduate Research Interest Form
Students interested in joining the lab should complete the Undergraduate Research Interest Form linked below. This form helps us learn more about your interests, availability, and academic goals. Submission of the form does not guarantee placement, but allows us to follow up when opportunities align with current projects.
👉 Click here to complete the Undergraduate Research Interest Form
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ADDRESS:
UNC Wilmington Dept of Biology & Marine Biology 601 South College Rd. Wilmington, NC 28403 USA PHONE: 910.962.2839
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