Research Associate-Fixed Term

Michigan State University•East Lansing, MI

35d•$60,000 - $68,700•Remote

About The Position

Decision Analysis and Support (DAS) Lab in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University invites applications for the position of Research Associate (Fixed-Term). As a member of the DAS Lab, the Research Associate will also become a member of the Quantitative Fisheries Center. This position is funded for at least two years, with potential for extensions pending funding. The preferred start date is 1 January 2026, but a later start date may be considered. The successful candidate will co-lead the development of a structured decision making (SDM) process for an experimental Cisco reintroduction in Lake Erie, specifically in New York and Pennsylvania waters. The overarching goal is to work collaboratively with Lake Erie fisheries managers to identify and evaluate experimental Cisco stocking strategies and complementary restoration actions (e.g., spawning habitat construction or restoration) that align with agency objectives, account for uncertainty, and support long-term recovery of Cisco in Lake Erie. This work will operationalize the "Restore" phase of the Coregonine Restoration Framework (Bunnell et al., 2023) and, ideally, illustrate how this process could be transferable to other Great Lakes jurisdictions. This position will also provide support for the Research Associate to contribute to other DAS Lab projects that align with the candidate's research interests. Project in the DAS Lab occur in multiple Great Lakes systems and would provide opportunities to apply diverse decision analysis tools, including multi-criteria decision analysis, risk analysis, value of information, and optimization. The position will be supervised by Dr. Marjorie 'Mauri' Liberati, while working closely with partners from the Greak Lakes Science Center, New York Department of Conservation, and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. This position is an excellent opportunity to engage with agency professionals across the Great Lakes basin. The preferred work location for this position is East Lansing, MI, with travel to in-person workshops in northern New York and Pennsylvania covered by project funding. While we would prefer candidates who are willing to be located in southern Michigan, we are willing to discuss remote work arrangements.

Requirements

Ph.D. degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, Ecology, or related field by the anticipated start date.
Demonstrated desire and ability to publish peer-reviewed literature.
Excellent organizational skills.
Excellent writing and personal communication skills.
Experience working collaboratively with state and federal agencies to design and conduct studies that inform natural resources management.

Nice To Haves

Experience coordinating and facilitating collaborative meetings or workshops.
Experience facilitating decision analysis processes, ideally Structured Decision Making.
Experience collaboratively with state and federal agencies to develop decision support tools for natural resources management; experience with fisheries topics is particularly desired.
Strong quantitative skills, particularly in the areas of decision analysis and fisheries management.
Ability to adapt mode and style of communications to connect with audiences.

Responsibilities

Co-lead collaborative workshops with agency partners to iteratively develop and refine a decision prototype for Cisco restoration in Lake Erie.
Integrate research products from the Coregonine Restoration Framework to predict management outcomes and identify (or pursue) expanded analyses to support the decision analysis.
Develop predictive decision analysis to determine optimal allocation of management actions (e.g., stocking) and optimization analyses under various uncertainties.
Support the development of implementation and adaptive management plans for Cisco restoration in Lake Erie that also align with the Coregonine Restoration Framework.
Lead the development of manuscripts focused on decision analytic tools (e.g., multi-criteria decision analysis, risk analysis, value of information) and the Coregonine Restoration Framework.
Collaborate on other projects within the DAS Lab that align with research and professional development interests.

Benefits

annual salary ranging between $60,000 - $68,700 (depending on experience), plus benefits
a laptop computer
travel funds to attend conferences and in-person meetings associated with the project

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