Research Associate II (Oyster Aquaculture)

University of Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island

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USD 55,127-55,127 / year

Posted 6+ months ago

Research Associate II (Oyster Aquaculture)

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening. To apply for the position, please click the Apply for this Job link/button.

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Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Please attach the following 3 (PDF) documents to your online Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter.

(#2) Resume.

(#3) Transcripts (as one complete document).


PLEASE NOTE: References will be upon request by the committee.

Posting Details

Position Information
Posting Number SF02070
Job Title Research Associate II (Oyster Aquaculture)
Position Number 107133
FTE 1.00
FLSA Exempt
Position Type Professional Staff
Union PSA/NEA - Professional Staff Assoc
Pay Grade Level Grade Level: 9
Pay Grade Range Anticipated Hiring Salary: $55,127
Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Limited
Department Information
Department Biological Sciences
Contact(s)
Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu)
Contact Phone/Extension
Contact Email
Physical Demands
Campus Location Kingston
Grant Funded Yes
Extension Contingency Notes
This is a full time calendar year position, limited to 08/22/2026 with anticipated renewal.
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Job Description Summary
About URI:

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State’s flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.
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THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE IS POSSIBLE AFTER SIX MONTHS.

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POSITION SUMMARY:

Working in the USDA ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center and the Marine Evolutionary Ecology Laboratory at URI, in a position funded by a Cooperative agreement, the Research Associate II will contribute to the USDA ARS Regional Northeast eastern oyster genetic improvement program and associated research projects benefiting the oyster aquaculture industry.
Duties and Responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Perform important independent research work under the occasional review of the Principal Investigator.

Lead the implementation and operation of flow through, quarantined seawater systems for oyster maintaining experimental oysters in the laboratory setting.

Lead the collection, organization, and QC of eastern performance data (growth, survival, disease acquisition, shell shape) for thousands of experimental oysters deployed at three oyster farms throughout New England. Implement high throughput methods for data collection using P4 software.

Lead the maintenance of and collection/curation of environmental data from loggers deployed at multiple field sites. Calibrate loggers with Kor software and conduct preliminary data analysis in WQDataLive.

Perform complex experiments, including large-scale oyster disease challenges, to assess levels of variation in disease resistance within eastern oyster breeding populations. These experiments require expertise in oyster husbandry, cell culture (for pathogen) and complex molecular biology-based assays for quantifying disease levels in oysters exposed to disease in the laboratory and in the field. Disease diagnostic tests require experience in DNA extraction and quantitation, PCR primer design, and the development/optimization of quantitative PCR assays.

These duties will be executed by the incumbent with occasional review of Principal Investigator.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Prepare formal reports of completed work. Present work to stakeholders and other interested parties.

Train and supervise graduate students and undergraduate interns to perform routine laboratory procedures.

Maintain technical equipment and devices.

Develop and follow safety protocols for specific research activities.

Perform other duties as required.

LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:

Personal computers, printers and word processing, database management and spreadsheet software, R software for data analysis and visualization. Flow through and static seawater systems, aquaculture gear, environmental data sondes, calipers, laboratory equipment including pipettes, centrifuges, incubators, microscopes, balances, pH meters, autoclaves, DNA quantitation apparatus (nanodrop, qubit, tape station), traditional and quantitative PCR machines.
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The University of Rhode Island is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the University of Rhode Island to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability.
Required Qualifications
REQUIRED:

1. Master’s degree in Biological and Environmental Sciences or related field.

2. Minimum two combined years of experience in shellfish aquaculture, oyster husbandry in the laboratory, oyster performance evaluation, environmental data collection and analysis, and/or conducting molecular-based disease diagnostic techniques.

3. Minimum two years of experience in the field collecting wild oysters and working on oyster boats under varied environmental conditions.

4. Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.

5. Proficiency in written communication skills.

6. Supervisory experience.

7. Ability to work with diverse groups/populations.
Preferred Qualifications
Environmental Conditions
The incumbent is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
Posting Date 10/03/2025
Closing Date 10/17/2025
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please attach the following 3 (PDF) documents to your online Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter.

(#2) Resume.

(#3) Transcripts (as one complete document).


PLEASE NOTE: References will be upon request by the committee.
Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/15737

Applicant Documents

Required Documents
  1. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
  2. Resume
  3. Official Transcript(s)
Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. * Do you have a Master’s degree in Biological and Environmental Sciences or related field?
    • Yes
    • No
  2. * Do you have a minimum two combined years of experience in shellfish aquaculture, oyster husbandry in the laboratory, oyster performance evaluation, environmental data collection and analysis, and/or conducting molecular-based disease diagnostic techniques?
    • Yes
    • No
  3. * Do you have a minimum two years of experience in the field collecting wild oysters and working on oyster boats under varied environmental conditions?
    • Yes
    • No
  4. * Do you have supervisory experience?
    • Yes
    • No
  5. * Do you have ability to work with diverse groups/populations?
    • Yes
    • No
  6. * Are you a URI employee currently in a position covered by the PSA Union? (You will not be disqualified for answering "No")
    • Yes
    • No
  7. How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
    • Public Job Posting
    • Internal Job Posting
    • Agency Referral
    • Advertisement/Publication
    • Personal Referral
    • Website
    • Other

This job is no longer accepting applications

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