Estuarine Pressures and Biodiversity Indicators: Postdoctoral Fellowship

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellow to join the Coastal Systems and Earth Observation Research Group at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). The research will focus on quantifying and integrating various pressure indicators into the assessment of estuarine ecological condition and the National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) biodiversity headline indicators (ecosystem threat status and protection levels). This work will feed directly into national biodiversity reporting, such as the National Biodiversity Assessment and the reporting to targets of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Requirements: The postdoctoral fellowship is open to anyone who has completed a PhD in the last five years, or who will be awarded their PhD by February 2023 (in a field of Estuarine Science and/or geoinformatics). Experience at landscape level analysis and interpretation would be beneficial and/or  experience in geoinformatics and an existing track record in publishing in international peer-reviewed journals.

The project will focus on:

1. Developing an approach to quantify and rate emerging pressures on South Africa’s estuaries at the national scale (i.e. noise, light, pharmaceuticals and plastics);
2. Collate information and update the key pressures on estuaries and their catchments (land-use change, flow modification, pollution, overfishing, artificial breaching, invasive aliens) in collaboration with other researchers;
3. Assist NBA core team with integrating pressure indicators into assessment of estuary condition and headline indicators (ecosystem threat status and protection levels);
4. Design and build required spatial and non-spatial databases and develop reproducible well documented workflows for preparation of input data and assessments; and
5. Develop visualization that can assist with communicating the findings of the research and NBA.

Responsibilities:

• Implement a research project to enhance the content of the National Biodiversity Assessment through collaboration, and publish findings in national or internationally peer reviewed journals

Bursary value:

The value of the fellowship is R300,000/year and is available for 12 months with an early 2023 starting date. Some running expenses will also be made available. The postdoctoral fellow may propose a South African University of their choice or work with CSIR/SANBI to find a host university.

Application procedure: Applications must include a SANBI standard bursary application cover sheet (attached to this advert); a full CV; certified copies of ID and academic records; two letters of reference (one must be from an academic supervisor); examples of published work and a motivation letter describing the applicant’s suitability for the position in terms of skills and experience, highlights of achievements to date, research interests, and future goals (approximately two-pages).

Send all application documents to students@sanbi.org.za  and students.sanbi@gmail.com with “Estuary Pressure Indicators Postdoc Fellowship” in the subject line.

SANBI reserves the right not to fill this fellowship. If no response has been received within 21 days of the closing date, candidates may assume that their applications were unsuccessful.

Academic enquiries:
Prof Lara van Niekerk
Email: Lvnieker@csir.co.za

General enquiries:
Ms René du Toit
Email: r.dutoit@sanbi.org.za