Applications are being accepted for a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography of the University of Georgia (SkIO), a multidisciplinary research institution located on the Georgia coast near Savannah, GA (http://www.skio.uga.edu/). The Rivero Lab at SkIO has received a 2-year award from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to fund a Postdoctoral Research Associate on the project Characterizing optical properties of emerging Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) species in Southeastern US waters, towards remote sensing tools for HAB risk detection. This project seeks to enhance HAB monitoring by developing remote sensing methods for the detection of common and emerging HAB species in the southeastern U.S and contributing to filling gaps in the undersampled region of coastal Georgia. The postdoc will combine laboratory work and computational analysis by: 1) building a hyperspectral library of HABs optical properties with the PhytoPlankton Light Scattering (PPLS) prototype instrument and 2) Developing species-specific remote sensing algorithms using the spectral information gathered from the PPLS or HAB risk maps based on satellite-derived environmental parameters. The PPLS is an innovative new instrument in development and one of the first to simultaneously measure hyperspectral absorbance and backscattering properties of phytoplankton in vivo in the lab. The successful applicant will have certain freedom to design and perform original research within this general project framework in a highly collaborative environment. There will be potential opportunities to participate in fieldwork activities in collaboration with local stakeholders such as aquaculture farmers, UGA Marine Extension, or SeaGrant Phytoplankton Monitoring Network. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to present their research at scientific conferences and benefit from professional development activities.
