Fellowship - Benthos Ecology - Marine Institute Notification

Fellowship – Benthos Ecology

The Fellowship Programme

The Marine Institute Fellowship Programme is a part-time research programme that aims to provide excellent Training and Development Opportunities by giving valuable work experience to recent graduates who wish to continue their studies in a field relating to the work of the Marine Institute.

In 2008, the Programme will offer part-time employment to researchers under-taking an MSc or PhD course at a recognised third level institution. Successful candidates will work part-time (i.e. 22.5 hours per week) in a Marine Institute facility in an area related to the subject of their MSc/PhD dissertation.

Brief Description of the Position

The Marine Institute, in it's advisory role to the aquaculture licensing process (i.e. Department of Agriculture Food and Fisheries), has been asked to comment on a number of aquaculture applications relating to the culture the non-native oyster, Crassostrea gigas. These applications are distinct from many others in that the applicants propose to culture the oysters directly on the seafloor.

Marine Institute advice is coordinated via the cross-services Aquaculture Task Team. Typically, the advice has urged caution and has recommended broadly that this method of culture of this oyster species not be encouraged in the absence of a full risk assessment, as the practice makes it very difficult to manage the risk of environmental or ecological harm.

Information gaps have been identified that make the assessment of risk difficult to estimate. In order to fill some of these gaps the Marine Institute will sponsor a Fellow to conduct scientific investigations to address some of the risks posed by the culture of this species of oyster in this fashion. The project will be run in conjunction with an industry partner. It will provide data to inform advice on the environmental and ecological sustainability of this activity and also provide the basis for a M.Sc. project.

For more information please download the full Job Description (Word, 78KB)

Duration of Contract

The contract issued under the Marine Institute Fellowship Programme will be a specified purpose contract for a duration of 3 years (4 years in the case of a PhD) with a 6-month probationary period.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for a Fellowship, please submit a CV, a letter of Application and a study proposal to Human Resources, Rinville, Oranmore, Galway by post or email to: recruitment [AT] marine.ie

Please be advised that applications are not valid until they have been acknowledged by a member of the H.R. Team. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 1st February at 16:00 .

You can view the Original Page on which this notification is based on the Marine Institute Website.