Postdoc position: Fisheries and adaptation genomics |
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4We are looking for a highly motivated postdoc to uncover genome-wide patterns of variation in American shad across its distribution range and develop cost-effective genomic screening tools to aid conservation efforts and fisheries management. The American shad (Alosa sapidissima) is an anadromous fish native to the east coast of North America. It has for centuries been one of the region’s most important and commercially valuable fisheries species – so much that it in the US has been called "the fish that fed the nation's founders". More recently, however, the species has faced population extirpations across its range and despite extensive restoration efforts, abundances are at historic lows in many areas. Conservation planning efforts would substantially benefit from a better understanding of the population structure and degree of local adaptation in American shad and an ability to assign ocean-going adults back to their river of origin.
Earlier microsatellite work detected only weak genetic differention across the species range, but shad are distributed across very heterogeneous environments and divergent selection may have driven highly elevated levels of differentiation in localized genomic regions associated with local adaptation, a pattern now seen in many other fish species. The goal of this project is to conduct genome-wide scans to identify genomic regions that show maximal differences in allele frequencies across both small and large spatial scales, and based on these develop powerful genetic assignment tools for inferring where shad caught as bycatch in ocean fisheries originate from. A better understanding of the natal origin of shad caught in different types of fisheries and different areas can help target interventions to activities that impact the most vulnerable stocks.
The project will be carried out in close collaboration with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and being based on low-coverage whole genome sequencing of >400 individuals, it will provide an exciting opportunity to leverage novel high-resolution genomic techniques to address practical management needs in a high-profile species while at the same time exploring more basic questions about the forces that drive genome-wide patterns of variation in high gene flow systems. Exhibiting a remarkable variation in reproductive strategy and other phenotypic traits across its range, and recently having successfully colonized the entire west coast of North America after being introduced to California in the late 1800s, the American shad has tremendous, but yet unexplored, promise as a model to study how species adapt to new conditions - an issue of urgent importance in our rapidly changing world. The postdoc will be encouraged to pursue and integrate both the applied and more fundamental lines of inquiry based on their interests.
Qualifications: Candidates should have completed or be within 1-3 months of completing a PhD in evolutionary genomics, molecular ecology, bioinformatics or a related field. We are looking for a creative and talented scientist who is a team player with a good publication record and excellent organizational and communication skills. The successful candidate must have a strong computational/bioinformatics background and previous experience with analyzing large population genomics data sets. Experience working in the Unix environment is essential and familiarity with one or several programming languages is highly desirable. Molecular lab experience and past experience with conservation/fisheries applications is also a plus.
Interested candidates should send their CV, a description of their motivation and research interests and contact information for three references to Nina Overgaard Therkildsen (nt246@cornell.edu). We are committed to increasing diversity in STEM and especially encourage applications from underrepresented minorities. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Pre-application inquiries are welcome. The start date is January 1 2020, or as soon as possible thereafter, and the position is initially for one year, with possibility of renewal for up to two years, depending on performance.
The position will be based in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. Our lab is part of the larger campus-wide Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics (http://3cpg.cornell.edu) whose mission includes fostering research, education, and outreach in comparative and population genetics, and which brings together a vibrant and interactive group of over 350 faculty, postdocs, graduate students and staff who share a commitment to comparative and evolutionary genomic approach to the study of living systems.
Earlier microsatellite work detected only weak genetic differention across the species range, but shad are distributed across very heterogeneous environments and divergent selection may have driven highly elevated levels of differentiation in localized genomic regions associated with local adaptation, a pattern now seen in many other fish species. The goal of this project is to conduct genome-wide scans to identify genomic regions that show maximal differences in allele frequencies across both small and large spatial scales, and based on these develop powerful genetic assignment tools for inferring where shad caught as bycatch in ocean fisheries originate from. A better understanding of the natal origin of shad caught in different types of fisheries and different areas can help target interventions to activities that impact the most vulnerable stocks.
The project will be carried out in close collaboration with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and being based on low-coverage whole genome sequencing of >400 individuals, it will provide an exciting opportunity to leverage novel high-resolution genomic techniques to address practical management needs in a high-profile species while at the same time exploring more basic questions about the forces that drive genome-wide patterns of variation in high gene flow systems. Exhibiting a remarkable variation in reproductive strategy and other phenotypic traits across its range, and recently having successfully colonized the entire west coast of North America after being introduced to California in the late 1800s, the American shad has tremendous, but yet unexplored, promise as a model to study how species adapt to new conditions - an issue of urgent importance in our rapidly changing world. The postdoc will be encouraged to pursue and integrate both the applied and more fundamental lines of inquiry based on their interests.
Qualifications: Candidates should have completed or be within 1-3 months of completing a PhD in evolutionary genomics, molecular ecology, bioinformatics or a related field. We are looking for a creative and talented scientist who is a team player with a good publication record and excellent organizational and communication skills. The successful candidate must have a strong computational/bioinformatics background and previous experience with analyzing large population genomics data sets. Experience working in the Unix environment is essential and familiarity with one or several programming languages is highly desirable. Molecular lab experience and past experience with conservation/fisheries applications is also a plus.
Interested candidates should send their CV, a description of their motivation and research interests and contact information for three references to Nina Overgaard Therkildsen (nt246@cornell.edu). We are committed to increasing diversity in STEM and especially encourage applications from underrepresented minorities. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Pre-application inquiries are welcome. The start date is January 1 2020, or as soon as possible thereafter, and the position is initially for one year, with possibility of renewal for up to two years, depending on performance.
The position will be based in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. Our lab is part of the larger campus-wide Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics (http://3cpg.cornell.edu) whose mission includes fostering research, education, and outreach in comparative and population genetics, and which brings together a vibrant and interactive group of over 350 faculty, postdocs, graduate students and staff who share a commitment to comparative and evolutionary genomic approach to the study of living systems.
