Researcher in Stock Assessment and Advice for Fisheries Management

Researcher in Stock Assessment and Advice for Fisheries Management

SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Lysekil, Sweden

About the position

The Department of Aquatic Resources has an immediate opening for a permanent position as researcher in stock assessment and advice for fisheries management in a unit that includes stock assessment at the Institute of Marine Research. The unit conducts research and stock assessment on fish and shellfish and provides scientific advice for fisheries at both the national and international level. The work is conducted in close collaboration with other units at the institute and at the wider SLU Aqua, contributing to associated research fields, such as, fisheries monitoring, impacts of climate change, marine food webs and ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Extensive collaboration with international institutions and organizations (e.g. ICES, International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) is expected and encouraged, as is the application for external research funds.

The areas of work for this position will be broad, but primarily include:

• Analyzing large data sets for input into assessments and biological advice;
• Follow the development and support the transition to next-generation assessment models;
• Performing fish stock assessment;
• Participating to national and international expert groups;
• Contributing to scientific advice for fisheries management;
• Contributing to scientific publications as well as national and international reporting;
• Apply for research funding;
• Teaching, mentoring, internal competence building and outreach.

Your profile

The successful candidate should have strong quantitative skills (i.e., analysis, statistics and modelling), proficiency in the R programming language (of particular value if coupled with TMB), familiarity with version control pipelines, preferably experience in fisheries stock assessment (high consideration is given to experiences with integrated and state-space models, simulations and management strategy evaluations), a good scientific publication record. Experience in marine or fisheries management, especially developing and delivering advice, will also be beneficial.

The position requires a PhD in quantitative analysis of biological systems (e.g. statistics, mathematics, modelling, marine biology, fisheries biology or other relevant fields).

The ability to work independently, as well as in teams, and to deliver results (reports, analyses, scientific papers) according to deadlines is essential. Good communication skills, and willingness to communicate, both to scientific and public audiences, are important. Fluent oral and written skills in English are required. Knowledge of Swedish will be favorably considered. If you are a non-Swedish speaker, we expect you to try to learn Swedish when you start your position (SLU arranges Swedish courses). Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities such as collaboration skills, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and the capacity for independent work.