Postdoc or Research Assistant - Decision Analysis for the Coregonine Restoration Framework

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Closing Date: Until Filled

Web Address: https://mauriliberati.weebly.com/research.html

Description

Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan preferred, but willing to discuss remote work

Salary:
Postdoc Research Associate - $60,000 – $68,700 (DOE) + benefits (PhD required)
Research Assistant - $58,000 – $62,000 (DOE) + benefits (Masters required)

Start date: January 2026 preferred but negotiable

Length: At least two years

Decision Analysis and Support (DAS) Lab in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University invites applications for the position of Research Associate (Fixed-Term) or Research Assistant II (Fixed-Term). As a member of the DAS Lab, the Research Associate will also become a member of the Quantitative Fisheries Center.

The successful candidate will co-lead the development of a structured decision making (SDM) process for an experimental Cisco reintroduction in Lake Erie, specifically in New York and Pennsylvania waters. The overarching goal is to work collaboratively with Lake Erie fisheries managers to identify and evaluate experimental Cisco stocking strategies and complementary restoration actions (e.g., spawning habitat construction or restoration) that align with agency objectives, account for uncertainty, and support long-term recovery of Cisco in Lake Erie. This work will operationalize the “Restore” phase of the Coregonine Restoration Framework (Bunnell et al., 2023) and, ideally, illustrate how this process could be transferable to other Great Lakes jurisdictions.

This position will also provide support for the Research Associate to contribute to other DAS Lab projects that align with the candidate’s research interests. Projects in the DAS Lab occur in multiple Great Lakes systems and would provide opportunities to apply diverse decision analysis tools, including multi-criteria decision analysis, risk analysis, value of information, and optimization.
 

How to Apply

For consideration, applications must be submitted online at http://careers.msu.edu (there are separate postings for the Postdoc and Research Assistant options). Upload the following required documents: a) a cover letter (2-page maximum) describing how your interests, background, and professional experience match the position description, b) curriculum vitae, and c) names and contact information of 3 professional references. Questions regarding this position can be sent to Dr. Mauri Liberati, the supervisor and project PI, at libera22@msu.edu.For consideration, applications must be submitted online at http://careers.msu.edu (there are separate postings for the Postdoc and Research Assistant options). Upload the following required documents: a) a cover letter (2-page maximum) describing how your interests, background, and professional experience match the position description, b) curriculum vitae, and c) names and contact information of 3 professional references. Questions regarding this position can be sent to Dr. Mauri Liberati, the supervisor and project PI, at libera22@msu.edu.

Contact

Mauri Liberati
Michigan State University
libera22@msu.edu