Assistant Scientist

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The University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) invites applications for an Assistant Scientist specializing in the development of innovative technologies and computational approaches to advance coral restoration and reef resilience. The successful applicant will work with a diverse team of scientists, postdocs, and students at NOAA and UM laboratories in Miami, Florida as part of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory’s (AOML) Coral Program.

The AOML Coral Program is interested in developing new technologies and approaches to improve the scalability, efficiency, and effectiveness of coral restoration. We are actively engaged in supporting restoration practitioners and applying emerging technologies to coral propagation, restoration, and monitoring.

The successful candidate’s duties will include, but are not limited to the following:

●        Design, develop, and test novel tools and technologies for coral restoration, including robotic and semi-automated systems.

●        Program and operate robotic arms and automated equipment for coral handling, propagation, outplanting, and monitoring.

●        Design custom equipment and experimental systems using CAD, 3D printing, electronics, machining, and other rapid-prototyping approaches.

●        Integrate sensors, cameras, robotics, and environmental monitoring systems into coral-restoration applications.

●        Develop computer-vision and image-analysis approaches for coral identification, health assessment, growth measurements, and automated monitoring.

●        Translate biological restoration challenges into engineering specifications, functional prototypes, and scalable workflows.

●        Design and conduct laboratory and field experiments to evaluate restoration technologies and their effects on coral performance.

●        Analyze biological and environmental datasets using Python, R, and related computational tools.

●        Lead field deployment, testing, troubleshooting, and refinement of technologies in coral nurseries and reef environments.

●        Lead and administer funded projects, including budgeting, planning, field activities, and coordination of temporary employees and student workers.

●        Prepare manuscripts, project reports, and first-author publications, and contribute to grant proposals and efforts to secure external funding.

Instruction will range from specific targeted tasks and methodologies to general long-term goals. As such the successful applicant must be highly motivated, organized, and able to adapt to a dynamic lab environment. The successful applicant will be highly self-motivated and grow into an independent researcher that can develop their own lines of coral reef research.

The successful applicant must possess a doctoral degree in marine science or a related field from an accredited university, with at least one year of relevant postdoctoral research experience and demonstrated coding skills. Strong analytical, computational, and technical skills are required. Experience with small boats and AAUS SCUBA diving certification are required. Preference will be given to candidates with: 1) demonstrated experience with Python, robotics, automation, or engineering and rapid prototyping, and 2) experience working with corals and reef-associated organisms, particularly coral restoration, propagation, stress physiology, or improving coral performance. Additional desirable skills include robotic arms, Arduino or Raspberry Pi platforms, electronics, CAD, 3D printing, computer vision, and image analysis. Demonstrated ability to take a biological or restoration challenge from concept through design, prototyping, programming, field testing, and implementation is highly desirable.

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