Description of research:

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is rapidly developing a portfolio of fishery ecosystem research projects. To assist with these projects, GMRI is seeking a number of paid interns for the summer of 2009. Research will occur in the following areas:

• The impact of climate variability and change on the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.
• Developing models of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.
• The relative abundance and foraging ecology of inshore vs. offshore cod populations and the consequences for benthic invertebrates such as crabs and lobsters.
• The influence of marine closed areas in the northwest Atlantic on the ecology of cod.
• Source-sink dynamics in monkfish populations using mark-recapture experiments.
• Ecosystem effects on bioenergetics of Atlantic herring.
• Stock structure identification of Atlantic herring in the Gulf of Maine.
• Zooplankton dynamics in the Gulf of Maine.
• The effect of specialized rigging modification on the selectivity of monkfish gillnets using underwater video cameras and at-sea sampling.

The fisheries ecology studies will involve a balanced mix of field (i.e., tagging fish, conducting video surveys of fish utilization of habitat, gillnet and hook-and-line sampling, tethering prey, data collection, hydroacoustic sampling, underwater cameras, etc.) and lab (project design, gear preparation and maintenance, data entry, aging otoliths, otolith shape and microstructure analyses, bomb calorimetry, conducting stomach content analysis, prepping stable isotope samples, scoring video surveys, acoustic or catch data processing, etc.) work. The modeling studies will involve analyzing historical biological and climate data and developing new models of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.

Qualifications:

Successful candidates in the fisheries ecology area will have a strong background in biology and will preferably be completing a bachelors degree in marine ecology or a related discipline. Successful candidates in the ecosystem modeling/fishing gear technology area will have training in math and computer programming and preferably a background in oceanography. Successful candidates will also work well in a team setting both in the laboratory and in the field; field collections may include multi-day trips to sea aboard industry vessels. Other assets include an eye for detail, a steady hand, and a general eagerness to learn about fisheries ecology or ecosystem modeling!

Applications:

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a resume and names of three references. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm on Friday February 20, 2009.

For more information about the internship please contact:

Kathi Higgins

Gulf of Maine Research Institute

350 Commercial Street

Portland, Maine 04101

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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