The Col(Lab)oration is currently looking for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Marine Phytoplankton Remote Sensing. See below for details.
Postdoctoral Scholar Position: Marine Phytoplankton Remote Sensing
Name of College/Department/School/Division: College of Agricultural Sciences – Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Location: Oregon State University – Corvallis, Oregon
Open and close dates: Open: August 1, 2026. Close: September 31, 2026
Preferred position start date: December 1, 2026 (but negotiable)
Summary: (1.0 FTE; 12-months) The Phytoplankton Ecophysiology Col(Lab)oration studies phytoplankton ecology and physiology using a combination of laboratory experiments, field studies, satellite remote sensing, numerical modeling, and theoretical efforts (https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/phytoplanktonecophysiologylab/).
The lab is currently seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar with emphasis on satellite ocean color remote sensing to work in several active areas of investigation including 1) development of satellite-based relationships for carbon export from the surface ocean, 2) application of phytoplankton ecological theory to satellite observations from NASA’s Plankton Aerosol Cloud and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, 3) retrieval of phytoplankton characteristics from PACE observations of chlorophyll fluorescence, 4) improvement of satellite-based Net Primary Production (NPP) modeling and subsequent curation of NPP products for online access(OSU Ocean Productivity website).
The selected candidate will work jointly with Dr. Toby Westberry and Dr. Michael Behrenfeld. The position provides a competitive stipend and health insurance for one initial year, with up to an additional two years possible subject to satisfactory performance (OSU Office of Postdoctoral Programs).
Required Qualifications:
1. PhD in a life science/computational field, completed by start of position.
2. Demonstrated productivity, capacity for independent research, and intellectual creativity.
3. Be eligible for postdoctoral scholar support at OSU
(see https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/postdocs/appointment-and-recruitment).
Preferred Qualifications:
1. Computer programming skills (e.g., Python, R, Octave/Matlab, SeaDAS, Java, C/C++, PHP or markup and domain-specific languages such as HTML/XML/SQL) and analytical techniques (e.g., PCA/EOF, GAM, Random Forest or other machine learning, data reconstruction, time-series approaches) for analysis of large satellite data sets.
2. Research experience in ocean color remote sensing, bio-optics, phytoplankton ecology and physiology and its relation to ocean biogeochemistry, numerical modeling.
3. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Application Process: Please provide a single PDF that includes a 1-page cover letter, a full CV, and names and contact information for three references. Applications and inquiries may be sent by email with subject line “PD scholar” to:
Toby Westberry
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-5274
toby.westberry@oregonstate.edu