Marine Reef Fisheries Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

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About Mote Marine Laboratory

Mote is celebrating over 70 years as one of the few remaining independent, non-profit international marine research laboratories. Mote currently has more than 45 PhD-level scientists, over 300 staff, and approximately 1500 volunteers located on its main campus in Sarasota and across additional campuses, including an International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in the Florida Keys.

The role

Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are three-year positions providing 100% salary support, funding assistance for equipment/supplies and travel, and office and laboratory space. Fellows are expected to conduct and build their own program that is distinct from and not under the oversight of existing Mote research programs. Exemplary Fellows have been invited to join Mote as a Staff Scientist upon completion of their initial three-year appointment.

This Fellowship will focus on establishing an independent Mote research program with emphasis on fisheries directly related to coral reef restoration and artificial reef creation in the Florida Keys, with research leading to fisheries resource management decisions. The postdoctoral fellow will work with Mote fisheries and coral research and restoration teams to better understand fisheries population dynamics as well as independently lead, design, and conduct laboratory and field-based experiments that test and provide options for improvements in fish habitat.

Responsibilities

• Research interests may include: marine reef fisheries community ecology associated with natural and artificial reefs
• Connectivity between nearshore nursery habitat and offshore reef habitat
• Mark-recapture techniques, notably with acoustic or passive integrated transponder tags
• Video surveys for species identification

Qualifications and experience

• Recent (2023 and more recent) PhD graduates are invited to apply; applicants with a firm expectation of graduation in 2026 will also be considered

Salary and benefits

Expected initial annual salary of approximately $70,000 (negotiable depending on experience).

• Health insurance with family options, plus dental and vision
• Opt-in retirement plan with employer matching
• Leave for holidays, illness, and vacation

Location and schedule

Full-time, primarily based at Mote’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, with office and lab space coordinated across all of Mote’s campuses.

Deadline and how to apply

Review of applications will begin November 1, 2026 and will continue until the position is awarded. Send the following to jmartin@mote.org: a cover letter addressed to Kevin Claridge, Vice President of Sponsored Research and Coastal Policy, including present employment status; academic transcript of doctoral studies; copy of PhD or expected graduation date; curriculum vitae; a two-page essay describing intended research focus and proposed mentors internal and external to Mote; three representative journal publications; and names and contact information for three references. Questions may be sent to Kevin Claridge at kclaridge@mote.org.