Recruit
Junior Specialist - Kapuscinski- Sarker Lab Group
Position overview
Position title: Junior Specialist - Kapuscinski-Sarker LabApplication Window
Open date: November 20, 2024
Next review date: Friday, Dec 20, 2024 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Thursday, Nov 20, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for a junior specialist. Under the direction of Dr. Pallab Sarker, the junior specialist will be assigned the following duties with the Kapuscinski-Sarker Lab Group:
- Oversee daily management of the ecological aquaculture lab with recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) to ensure proper use, maintenance, and availability of equipment and supplies.
- Maintain live fish and assist with regular RAS maintenance, especially biofilters, to provide optimal conditions for research animals.
- Assist in conducting experiments, which includes using a range of aquaculture and agro-ecological lab and field equipment, feeding fish, measuring water chemistry, data collection and experimental maintenance.
- Raise fish in RAS and use N- and P-rich effluent as fertilizer to grow vegetables and fruits via integrating aquaculture-agriculture research (IAA; decoupled aquaponics).
- Design, set up and monitor experiments.
- Assist principal investigators to prepare IACUC animal care applications and ensure adherence to IACUC animal care protocols.
- Identify, troubleshoot, correct or recommend solutions to problems associated with experimental design; methods, procedures and techniques; or equipment or facilities at the greenhouse site.
- Work with analytical chemists to develop lab testing methods relevant for experiments and projects in the research greenhouse.
- Advise on the need for and type of equipment purchases; locate manufacturers and suppliers.
- Facilitate fish care and perform on-call while fish are present. Purchase feed ingredients and manufacture test and maintenance diets when appropriate via extrusion.
- Train and closely work with students and other assistants.
- Organize, prepare data visualizations, and interpret the data resulting from experimentation to present findings with conclusions to principal investigators.
- Organize team meetings, experimental planning, schedules, and timeline settings.
Applicants with expertise in the following areas are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Sufficient knowledge and experience with recirculating aquaculture systems to conduct nutritional feeding experiments.
- Proficiency in design, execution of aquaculture feed experiments.
- Proficiency in manufacturing nutritionally complete extruded diets, fish feeding and husbandry, collecting samples feces and fish flesh for biochemical composition.
- Developing and conducting standard operating procedures for maintenance of and experiments in the aquaculture lab.
- Collecting data, organizing data and basic statistical analyses; training and coordination of students and research assistants.
- Coordinating research team’s work-flow such as team meetings (including individual meeting with faculty, students, staff), experimental planning, schedules, and timeline settings.
- Experience maintaining websites and using social media for remote-only scientific communications.
- Designing and conducting integrating aquaculture-agriculture research.
The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.
Environmental Studies Department: https://envs.ucsc.edu/
Kapuscinski - Sarker Lab Group: https://kapsar.sites.ucsc.edu/
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent foreign degree) in aquaculture, biology, environmental science, fisheries and wildlife, agriculture, animal nutrition field, or a related field.
Application Requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Cover Letter - Letter of application that briefly summarizes your qualifications and interest in the position.
- 1-2 letters of reference required
Applications must include confidential letters of recommendation*. Note that your references, or dossier service, will submit their confidential letters directly to the UC Recruit System.
*All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. For any reference letter provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service, career center), direct the author to UCSC’s confidentiality statement at http://apo.ucsc.edu/confstm.htm.
Help contact: psarker@ucsc.edu
About UC Santa Cruz
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University’s equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to the Equity and Equal Protection Office at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 or by email at equity@ucsc.edu.
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If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at roberts@ucsc.edu (831) 459-4602.
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