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The McClain lab at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) has an opening for a research technician. The McClain lab addresses a variety of questions examining how climate change and carbon availability impact marine invertebrate energetics, ecology, and evolution. Primarily research involves diversity studies in the deep sea and is also coupled with investigations of shallow water communities in relation to energy inputs . Current research
topics include: the energetics of invertebrate communities of deep‐sea wood falls, the impacts of the Deep‐Water Horizon Oil Spill on deep‐sea megafauna, the scale patchiness in the biodiversity of deep‐sea animals, the evolution of body size and metabolism in marine invertebrates, the role of carbon landscapes on invertebrate communities of marsh and coastal systems, how carbon availability impacts ecology and function of marine invertebrates, and how energy availability relates to trophic structure. You can read more about our lab’s work at https://lumcon.edu/cmcclain/ and about our recent wood‐fall work at
http://craigmcclain.com/?page_id=423

The research technician is expected to be involved in a variety of these projects and general lab tasks including but not limited to: sampling and deployment of equipment off small boats; deep‐sea research with remote operated vehicles on large research vessels; sorting and sieving invertebrates from mud cores; prepping and wrapping wood for deployments; identifying invertebrates from sediment cores and video transects; data and database entry; programming
and statistical analysis; 3D printing of parts; and lab organization and clean up.

A bachelor’s degree in science and experience in one of these areas are required. The positions will afford multiple opportunities to train in new areas, present scientific research, and publish scientific papers as part of the lab team. We are looking for a staff member with previous research experience, an excellent work ethic, and a high capacity to learn. The position is 40 hours per week. The position is from 1/1/20‐8/1/20. Those interested should submit a non‐official copy of transcripts, resume, and a brief statement of why you want to join the McClain lab and LUMCON (less than one page). Please send materials to hr@lumcon.edu

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LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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Dr. Abigail Bockus and her laboratory at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) use comparative physiology to study aquaculture development and aquatic ecosystem stability. Dr. Bockus is looking for a full time Research Assistant to work on a variety of research projects under her supervision. This term position will be located at the LUMCON Marine Center (Cocodrie, LA) with an initial appointment of 1 year. The successful candidate will conduct a variety of duties in support of ongoing research projects, including laboratory analysis, animal collection, animal husbandry and routine RAS/tank maintenance. Current research projects include, describing how feed pH and fish digestive strategy affect growth, a spatial analysis of offshore aquaculture site selection in the Gulf of Mexico, and analyzing the contribution of mesopelagic zooplankton to carbon cycling in tropical oceanic waters near Station ALOHA, Hawaii. Candidates should be open to occasional long hours as well as rotating weekend/holiday work with other lab members as necessary to facilitate the success of aquatic organismal rearing and experimental research

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have a B.S. or B.A. in Biology, an interest in the fields of aquaculture or marine biology, a good work ethic, and the desire to learn – no prior research or laboratory experience is required but is strongly preferred.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should email a curriculum vitae (CV) and brief statement of interest to Dr. Bockus at abockus@lumcon.edu. More information about her laboratory’s research can be found on the Bockus lab webpage.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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The Roberts Lab of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) is seeking a postdoctoral research associate in wetland plant ecology to help organize and lead a series of field studies and manipulative experiments studying the effects of the Macondo Oil Spill on coastal marsh ecosystems. The primary focus of the postdoc position will be to continue research projects initiated by a large, multi-institution team of
researchers on the Coastal Waters Consortium (CWC) project funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative to study the impacts of the oil spill and future spills on marshes and coastal environments. Specifically, the postdoc will be expected to lead the plant associated aspects of a large, marsh mesocosm oiling experiment being conducted at LUMCON’s DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA. Twelve, ~3m diameter marsh mesocosms had intact marsh sections planted in January 2018 and after ~1.5 years of baseline monitoring were exposed to one of 4 oil treatments (no =control, low, moderate, or heavy oiling) in July 2019 (general overview can be found at Roberts Lab Website. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with top scientists in a variety of disciplines (including plant ecology, biogeochemistry, microbial ecology, oil characterization, and organismal ecology) from around the United States in a large, interdisciplinary research project of great importance to the US Gulf Coast and other ecosystems impacted by oil-related activities.

Qualifications

The candidate must have a Ph.D. in ecology, wetland science, plant ecology, biogeochemistry or a related field. The preferred candidate will have experience with field instruments (e.g., making ground-based measurements of spectral reflectance to determine plant physiological status and detect stress, leaf level photosynthesis measurements, and/or integrated plant-soil greenhouse gas flux measurements). The ability to work in a group setting is essential, as you will work collaboratively with the PIs, other post docs, graduate and undergraduate students, and research associates/technicians on this interdisciplinary effort. High organizational and communication skills, creativity in methodological development, and understanding of basic experimental design and statistical analyses are required for this position.

Duration and Start Date

The position is available immediately. The initial appointment is for 1 year with possible additional support dependent on funding and satisfactory performance. Location: The position will be based at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA (visit http:///www.lumcon.edu for information on the facility). The field sites are located along the Louisiana coast between LUMCON and the Mississippi River.

To Apply

Send 1) a letter of interest that describes your interest in the position, your career goals, and details your work and educational experience most relevant to the position, 2) curriculum vitae, and 3) contact information for 3 references to Dr. Brian Roberts (broberts@lumcon.edu) with “Wetland plant
ecology postdoc position” in the subject line. For more information, contact Dr. Brian Roberts by email or phone (985-851-2821).

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled

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The Roberts Lab of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) is seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and organized individual to coordinate vegetation and methane and carbon dioxide flux sampling at marsh sites in coastal Louisiana as well as at NERR sites along the Gulf Coast. The individual will join an interdisciplinary research team of scientists from LUMCON, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), Silvestrum Climate Associates, Notre Dame, Cal State University-Hayward, and USGS as part of a NASA Climate Monitoring System project aimed at monitoring and forecasting coastal wetland carbon exchanges at regional to national scales.

The candidate will be responsible for coordinating the Roberts lab activities in the project which focus on monthly sampling of CO2 and CH4 fluxes, vegetation dynamics, and site characteristics at three LUMCON area marsh sites studied since 2013 and coordinating less frequent sampling at NERR sites along the US Gulf Coast. Additional information about the project can be found below.

LOCATION

The position will be based at the DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA. The field sites are located along the Louisiana coast between LUMCON and the Mississippi River.

APPLICATION

Interested candidates should email a C.V. and brief statement of interest with the subject “Wetland Carbon Exchanges Project Research Assistant” to broberts@lumcon.edu.

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled

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The Roberts Lab at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) (https://lumcon.edu/broberts/) is seeking a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and organized individual to study the relationship of human disturbance to ecosystem services in offshore sand shoal habitats in coastal Louisiana. The individual will join an interdisciplinary research team of scientists from LUMCON, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana State University, and Virginia Institute of Marine Science to understand how marine organisms respond to changing environmental conditions in coastal ecosystems. The project will incorporate a variety of techniques including field surveys, experimental approaches, stable isotope analysis, biogeochemical analysis, mathematical modeling, and remote sensing.

The candidate will be responsible for coordinating the Roberts lab activities in the project which focus on sediment biogeochemistry and primary production to dredging. Additional information about the project can be found below.

Interested candidates should email a C.V. and brief statement of interest with the subject “Shoal Project Research Assistant” to broberts@lumcon.edu.

Project Title: Responses of Ecological Function of the Ship Shoal Biological Communities Subjected to Dredging

Abstract: Ship Shoal is a large transgressive sand shoal located approximately 10 miles off the central coast of Louisiana. Recently, Ship Shoal became an active dredging site to aid coastal restoration in Louisiana because it contains over three billion cubic meters of high quality sand. The shoal is a highly productive and dynamic benthic habitat that is utilized by a diverse and important assemblage of species, including several federally managed species. The shoal is also spawning habitat for commercially important species such as blue crabs, and other nekton as well. To properly manage dredging activity and retain the critical ecological function of the shoal it is necessary to understand the responses of the shoal ecosystem to the changes in physical and biological drivers induced by dredging. We propose to use a modified Before-After Control Impact (BACI) design to determine the biological, physical, and chemical responses of borrow areas on Ship Shoal compared to control sites. Seasonal and diel samples will be collected over the project period that will bracket the period of dredging. We will use bathymetric and side-scan sonar to map each site prior to and after dredging. During each seasonal sampling period we will use box cores, trawling, long line, gillnets and high resolution sonar imaging to quantify the

abundances of benthic infauna and to estimate abundance and observe fine-scale behavior of nekton during the day and at night at both control and dredge sites. We will collect tissue samples from nekton, benthic invertebrates, and all potential primary producers to determine food web structure using stable isotope analyses. We will measure primary production rates of phytobenthos to determine effects of dredging on benthic PP. These data will provide a basis for modeling impacts of dredging on the biological function of Ship Shoal. BOEM has devoted funding through two ongoing projects toward better understanding how dredging pits evolve in Ship Shoal and the potential impacts to infrastructure and/or resources of concern located adjacent to the pits. This new proposed ecology project will build upon the data and resources from current BOEM-funded projects to increase BOEM’s decision making ability regarding the safety and protection of ecological, environmental and cultural resources.

LOCATION

The position will be based at the DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA. The field sites are located along the Louisiana coast between LUMCON and the Mississippi River.

APPLICATION

Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the name, address, phone number, and email contact for at least three individuals qualified to comment on scientific and work qualifications to Dr. Brian Roberts (broberts@lumcon.edu) with “Shoal Project Research Assistant” in the subject line. For questions or more information contact Dr. Roberts by email or phone (985-851-2821).

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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The Roberts Lab of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) is seeking a part-time student worker to participate in laboratory experiments studying the effects of fungal pathogens on coastal marsh ecosystems and to be involved in additional field and laboratory experiments studying the effects of the Maconodo oil spill on coastal marsh systems. The student worker will assist with fungal DNA extractions, PCR and sequencing in addition to supporting field and laboratory activities based in a large scale mesocosom oiling experiment. This position will be based at LUMCON.

Qualifications:
The candidate must be a current undergraduate student interested in ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, wetland science, biogeochemistry, or a related field. Familiarity with DNA extractions and PCR is desired. The ability to work in a group setting is essential, as the student worker will work collaboratively with PIs, graduate and undergraduate students.

Duration and Start Date:
This position is available immediately and will run through summer 2020 with possible additional support depending upon funding and satisfactory performance.

Location:
The position will be based at the DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA.

To Apply:
Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the name, address, phone and email contact for at least two individuals qualified to comment on scientific and work qualifications to Dr. Ryann Rossi (rrossi@lumcon.edu) and Dr. Brian Roberts (broberts@lumcon.edu) with “Student Worker position” in the subject line. For questions or more information contact Dr. Ryann Rossi by email or phone (985-851-2896).

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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A Social Media & Science Communication Coordinator is sought for employment at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON).  Science communication strategies at LUMCON focus on innovation and seek to catalyze change through that innovation. One of our highest priorities is experimenting with how our scientists and our brand interact with the public and our peers, rather than just following the status quo. We primarily use digital platforms to reach others, with a heavy investment in social media. LUMCON’s Social Media Program is the digital version of LUMCON, which connects people, enriches communities, and transforms understanding of coasts and oceans. We are looking for someone who has a passion for all things social media and content development. Above all, we are looking for someone who has the same passion for marine science that we do.  To read about our media program mission and core values visit https://lumcon.edu/media/.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Maintain a social media and science communication plan that highlights Louisiana marine science across our consortium members; the science, natural history, and facilities of the LUMCON Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA; and conveys the excitement and energy for the new growth phase of LUMCON within the boundaries of the mission and core values of the program.

• Implement and adjust this plan to drive traffic, engagement, and community growth across all LUMCON social media channels.
• Manage day-to-day content production and execution for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
• Engage and connect with consortium members, the public, Louisiana residents, students, and various LUMCON stakeholders.
• Coordinate events with science communicators interested in marine science and social media.
• Coordinate with media outlets to highlight LUMCON marine science.
• Communicate and collaborate with other LUMCON groups to support existing programs, cross-functional campaigns, and new initiatives.
• Analyze social media metrics and identify opportunities to better engage with the community and drive goals.
• Stay up-to-date on best practices on social media marketing and content development.

Qualities of a successful candidate:

• Believes in LUMCON’s mission
• Creative, proactive, innovative, and eager to learn and grow
• Strong communicator with a passion for marine science; comfortable communicating with scientists
• Analytical and strategic; a basic understanding of digital analytics
• Appreciates feedback and values honest, thoughtful critique

Qualifications:

• BA/BS preferred
• Experience with and knowledge of marine science
• Experience in social media marketing and/or content development
• Established network of contacts in mainstream media outlets
• Experience in short- and long-format writing
• Preferred: experience generating, editing, and producing web video

The position will be based at the LUMCON Marine Center in Cocodrie, LA (http://lumcon.edu). Duration and Start Date: Appointment is for 2 years, depending upon satisfactory performance, with a possibility of extension. The position is available immediately. Send a cover letter addressing each of bulleted points above, curriculum vitae or resume, three examples of science communication (e.g. blog posts, videos, articles, Facebook campaigns, etc.), and the name, address, phone and email contact for at least three individuals qualified to comment on your science communication work to hr@lumcon.edu. Review of applications will begin February 15, 2019 and continue until the position is filled.

LUMCON is an AA/EO employer.

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