Postdoctoral Researcher in Gray Whale Ecology and Biology, Marine Science Institute, UC Santa B

The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral scholar to conduct field research on gray whale biology and ecology in the San Francisco Bay. In the last five years, an increasing number of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) appear to be using the Bay as a migratory stopover during their 12,000 mile journey between Mexico and the Arctic. Marine mammal biologists have observed gray whales feeding and/or attempting to feed in the Bay, a departure from past migratory behavior that is not yet well understood and that puts whales in closer contact with human activity and often at greater risk of harm, including increased risk of ship strikes.

This research is targeted at answering some of the core ecological questions related to understanding how and why gray whales are currently using the Bay and what effects this use of Bay habitats has on the whales themselves. Though specific research questions may be defined in collaboration with the successful candidate, example questions that may be addressed include:

• What San Francisco Bay habitats are most important to gray whales and what are the general temporal and spatial patterns of use?
• What specific benthic prey resources are the whales using in the Bay?
• What is the nutritional value of these prey resources and is there physiological evidence that gray whales are benefiting from access to these food resources?
• To which toxicological risks could gray whales be exposed by feeding upon prey sources within the Bay?
• How may the feeding ecology of gray whales be shaping the ecology of the Bay itself?

The specific methodologies will be shaped collaboratively with the successful candidate based on their background and interests and the expertise of project principal investigators. These methods may include:

• benthic ecology surveys and sampling
• direct vessel-based observation of gray whale feeding ecology within the San Francisco Bay
• uncrewed aerial systems surveys
• review and analysis of long-term datasets curated by Bay monitoring and management agencies
• lab-based analyses of whale tissue
• prey energetic analyses
• molecular/eDNA diet analysis
• stable isotope analysis
• contaminant sampling
• acoustic benthic mapping
• ecological modeling

The postdoc will work closely with collaborators at UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley, the Marine Mammal Center, and additional stakeholders. The postdoc will take the lead in defining field and lab research plans, managing the logistics for accomplishment of this plan, collection and analysis of all data, publishing the results in peer-reviewed journal(s), and communicating about the research with relevant stakeholders.

The field research work will be conducted primarily in the Bay Area during the gray whale field season (approximately Jan-May). However, the on-site work location for the remainder of the season will be UC Santa Barbara. Salary is competitive and commensurate with the applicant's qualifications and experience.

Applicants must have completed all requirements for a PhD program (or equivalent), except the dissertation, in biology, ecology, chemistry, environmental sciences, or a related field at the time of application.