Postdoctoral Researcher: Turning -scale lake & stream data into community water action; Michigan State University

A 1.5-year Postdoctoral Researcher position is available working with Drs. Latimore and Cheruvelil in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. The successful candidate will join theBridge

Labto conduct data-intensive and collaborative lake and stream ecology research and translate results into action in partnership with communities. The postdoc will work on two funded projects:

Turning MiCorps community science data into community water solutions(funded by the Mott Foundation) and Quantifying the interactive effects of human disturbances on lake biota and harmful algal blooms at the continental scale(funded by the National Science Foundation).

This postdoc will be at the center of a new initiative turning 51 years of Michigan lake and stream data into tools and actions that communities can actually use. The position combines data science with community-engaged research, drawing on the LAGOS-US research platform ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) and MiCorps, Michigan’s statewide volunteer lake and stream monitoring program (), to identify the stressors (e.g., nutrient pollution, invasive species, habitat loss, land-use change) shaping water quality across the state’s agricultural, forested, and urban watersheds.

In year one, the postdoc will also contribute to an update of one of the LAGOS-US data modules to support macroscale prediction of harmful algal blooms.

Building on statewide analyses, the postdoc will help select six priority watersheds and partner directly with freshwater volunteers, watershed groups, municipal leaders, and resource managers to co-develop resources based on community needs (e.g., state-of-the-watershed reports, policy briefs, decision-making tools). These resources will help translate data into accessible, actionable information supporting locally driven conservation and stewardship.

The role spans the full arc of data-intensive research and its application, and takes a community-engaged approach throughout. As a full collaborator with the research team, the postdoc will: co-create research questions; acquire and harmonize existing data and author metadata; visualize, analyze, and interpret data; review and synthesize literature; write and revise manuscripts, reports, and grant proposals as lead and co-author;

publish code and data; and present results to scientific and community audiences alike. The successful candidate may also have the opportunity to supervise undergraduate students or on-call staff.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Doctorate
-ecology, aquatic ecology, limnology, or related discipline with strong quantitative emphasis (statistics and/or computer science).

Doctorate (Ph.D.) in ecology, aquatic ecology, limnology, or related discipline with strong quantitative emphasis (statistics and/or computer science).

• Analytical skills and experience for conducting big-data lake ecology research using techniques from statistics and computer science (e.g., statistical modeling, machine learning, data mining).
• Knowledge of open science tools (e.g., Github, Zenodo).
• Demonstrated interest in conducting participatory or community-engaged research, including partnering with communities to develop research questions, interpret results, and apply learnings to management and conservation efforts by communities.
• Demonstrated capacity to conduct independent and collaborative research.
• A strong record of effective oral and written communication, including publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting scientific results to a variety of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including problem-solving, collaboration, and inclusion.

Expectations for in-person and remote work:

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly for Michigan residents. For this position, remote-friendly means the employee can regularly work 1-3 days per week away from MSU property. However, the postdoc will be expected to work in the Natural resources Building at least 2 days per week and will be expected to periodically attend in-person stakeholder meetings across Michigan to share data and gather input on co-developed resources.

08/31/2026

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

See full description online. Visit careers.msu.edu and search for Job No. 1149929.

Contact
Jo Latimore

latimor1(preferred contact method)