Postdoctoral Researcher in Applied Fisheries or Environmental Economic Modeling, UCSB, Santa Ba

The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory is an applied research center at the University of California Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute. The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory team works to leverage the power of science and technology to develop and implement tangible solutions to a wide range of environmental problems.

The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar to develop tools for applying fisheries and economic modeling in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), particularly with relevance to large‑scale Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation in ABNJ. The modeling exercises will include such activities as quantifying the potential for spillover of tuna following high seas MPA designation and evaluating the economic benefits of this potential spillover, as well as other possible economic impacts of the creation of such MPAs.

We anticipate that this work will also translate into analytical tools to support the planning of new MPAs under the High Seas Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement) and collaboration with potential users of such tools.

The successful candidate will bring a desire and excitement to address ambitious High Seas conservation, fisheries, and economics questions with real‑world applicability. The postdoctoral scholar will collaborate closely with Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory research staff and external partners, taking the lead to define novel questions and methods for leveraging available fisheries, economic, biological, and environmental data, and communicating the research through publications.

• Leading the development of predictive fisheries and bioeconomic models to estimate outcomes, including but not limited to fisheries spillover effects and biodiversity benefits, across global and regional networks of MPAs;
• In collaboration with external partners and staff at Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, developing analytic tools based on model outputs and valuation approaches to support the planning of individual MPAs in ABNJ;
• Partnering with senior staff at Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory to collaborate and communicate findings with government stakeholders, academic audiences, and environmental non‑governmental organization professionals and decision‑makers.

This appointment includes a competitive benefits package with medical, dental and vision insurance and a UC retirement plan. Salary is commensurate with the applicant’s qualifications and experience.