Description
The Weecology group run by Morgan Ernest and Ethan White at the University of Florida is seeking a post-doctoral researcher to join our Everglades Wading Bird project. This is a long-term study monitoring wading bird breeding colonies in the Everglades, with long-term (30+ years) and large-scale (> 3000 sq km) data on nesting effort and nest success for multiple species of wading birds. We are looking for someone interested in leading research in one of two areas: 1) cross-scale drivers of wading bird breeding activity and success, 2) developing automated drone-based monitoring of nest success using aerial imagery and computer vision. Because the Everglades is undergoing one of the largest restoration efforts in the world, Weecology interacts with a wide array of state and federal agencies making this an excellent opportunity for people passionate about research with real-world applications as well as those more interested in studying general ecological processes and/or using technology to expand the scope of data collection in ecology. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork, but it is not a required activity.
At Weecology, we are committed to supporting and training a broad scientific workforce. Former Weecologists work at NGOs, big and small companies, teaching-focused colleges, and research universities. Current and former group members encompass a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds from the U.S. and other countries, members of the LGBTQ+ community, military veterans, people with disabilities, and students who are the first generation in their family to go to college. We work hard to create a supportive lab environment for everyone in the group and expect all members of Weecology to help achieve this goal.
Postdoc funding is guaranteed for 1 year with a second year available pending no changes to funding availability. Salary is $60,000 and the position can start as early as July 1st 2026 but the successful candidate must be able to start no later than September 28th 2026. Remote work is unfortunately not an option for this position, so applicants should be willing to move to Gainesville, FL.
Requirements
Applicants should email Dr. Morgan Ernest by May 8th, 2026 with their CV including a list of three references and a cover letter detailing their research interests/experiences and which wading bird project outlined above they would be interested in working on and why.
