Postdoctoral Fellow studying monitoring indicators in Marine Protected Areas

Are you a motivated and collaborative postdoc ready to make a significant impact on marine biodiversity conservation? Join the exciting NWO (Dutch research council) funded TIDE-MPAs project at Naturalis Biodiversity Center for a 3 year position focused on the coral reef ecosystems and governance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Indonesia and the Dutch Caribbean. The project brings together knowledge institutions, NGOs, government institutions and private-sector partners across five connected work packages: modelling, monitoring and indicator development, local governance, dashboard development, and education and training. You will work closely with the project PI’s, PhD candidates, senior researchers, international partners and stakeholders in Indonesia, in the Caribbean, and the Netherlands. The position combines scientific research, project coordination, and applied knowledge development. Your key responsibilities are:

• Leading at least two scientific manuscripts and contributing to interdisciplinary publications on coral reef resilience, tourism, dashboards or (biodiversity) monitoring indicators. Which papers you will lead depends on your interest and background.
• Coordinating project activities, timelines, deliverables, reporting and communication across the TIDE-MPA consortium. Helping in organizing and supporting fieldwork, workshops, training sessions, consortium meetings and project events.
• Reviewing existing databases and monitoring systems, and helping identify practical indicators for biodiversity, water quality, tourism pressure, socio-economic conditions and governance.
• Developing an MPA Tourism Dashboard that provides a dynamic knowledge platform that supports transparency, adaptive management, and public awareness - together with partners, stakeholders and a commercial partner.

Literally. Whatever your role may be, you contribute to the preservation of our planet on a daily basis. Naturalis Biodiversity Center...

• is the national research and knowledge institute and a key player in biodiversity data and infrastructures.
• houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
• welcomes 500,000 museum visitors per year.
• collaborates with universities, expertise centres and museums around the world.
• has a staff of diverse colleagues in various functions and with many different nationalities, with whom you will work together in an informal atmosphere.

You have a strong scientific interest in coral reef resilience, marine protected areas, tourism, biodiversity conservation and social-ecological systems. You show real commitment to and ideally have experience with interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary research, with an open mind for different approaches and perspectives. You enjoy working with diverse international teams and stakeholders. Since this project focuses on Indonesian coral reef systems, working experience in Indonesia is a plus. 

You are capable of conducting independent research, working in an organized manner, and structuring your approach effectively. At the same time, you know when to seek help when necessary. You actively maintain both your internal and external networks and you are skilled at identifying opportunities and engaging others with your ideas. Additionally, you can translate complex topics into compelling narratives, making them accessible even to those outside of the scientific community.

In addition, you have:

• A completed PhD degree in marine science, marine ecology, conservation science, environmental science or a related field.
•  Experience with quantitative data analysis, preferably using R.
• Experience in publishing and disseminating research findings via scientific publications, lectures, conference presentations, or teaching.
• Project coordination-, planning-, reporting- and data management skills.
• Strong proficiency in English, speaking and writing.

If you don’t quite have all requirements, but think that you would make a good member of our team, then convince us in your application. We’re open to different perspectives.