Duke University, NSOE-ESS & MSC
Position ID:
Duke-NSOE-ESS & MSC-POSTDOC_GILL [#31550, 50469328]
Position Title:
Postdoctoral Associate
Position Type:
Postdoctoral
Position Location:
Beaufort, North Carolina 28576, United States of America
Subject Areas:
Marine Science / Marine Ecology
Coastal Marine Environment / coastal resilience
Environmental Studies / Environmental Justice
Marine Biology / science
Climate Change (more...)
Coastal Marine Environment / coastal resilience
Environmental Studies / Environmental Justice
Marine Biology / science
Climate Change (more...)
Appl Deadline:
2026/02/28 11:59PM
(posted 2026/01/21, listed until 2026/03/15)
(posted 2026/01/21, listed until 2026/03/15)Position Description:
Position Description
LOCATION: Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA SALARY RANGE: US $62,000-$65,000. Commensurate with experience. Health benefits are provided. CONTRACT TERM: Potentially 2 years (1 year with the possibility of an additional one-year extension based on performance and external funding). CLOSING DATE: February 28, 2026, 11:59 PM EST or until position filled. PROPOSED START DATE: May 1, 2026. BACKGROUND: The goal of the SNAPP Advancing Ocean Equity Project is to collaborate with implementation partners to synthesize and co-produce evidence-based guidance that advances equitable ocean governance and positive social-ecological coastal outcomes. Despite increased attention to equity in research and ocean policy, inequitable ocean governance and outcomes are common. Without robust, contextually-relevant empirical guidance and tools, many global ocean actors are operating in the dark as they rapidly increase Global South investments, with considerable justice implications for millions of ocean-dependent people. Limited understanding of what equitable governance is, or how and when it leads to positive social and ecological outcomes, often means that many initiatives fail to recognize and integrate the rights, diversity, and impacts on affected groups into coastal initiative design and implementation. To develop evidence-informed, and contextually-relevant guidance and tools that advance equitable governance, we will examine how (mechanisms) and under what conditions (when) does equitable governance improve social and ecological outcomes in coastal initiatives. We will synthesize and generate insights on the nature and influence of equity in governance across multiple coastal contexts (e.g., nearshore tropical, high seas) and sectors (e.g., conservation, climate, fisheries). Through this, we will uncover the diverse conceptualizations of equity amongst ocean actors and their theories of change of how it affects outcomes, and the contextual factors currently hindering, or enabling, equitable governance in ocean initiatives. RESPONSIBILITIES: The post-doc is expected to: - Assemble and manage a global database of both quantitative and qualitative datasets on social and ecological conditions in marine systems to examine the relationship between marine conservation governance, context, and outcomes and across local to global scales; - Analyze database to generate insights on causal linkages between equitable governance and positive social-ecological outcomes; - Support development of evidence-based guidance on equitable ocean governance and positive social-ecological coastal outcomes - Lead and/or contribute to peer-reviewed papers based on this work; - Work alongside project partners to generate relevant outputs for practitioners to promote best practices - Assist the coordination and administration of the SNAPP Advancing Equity project, including in person and online meetings and workshops; - Contribute to communication and dissemination efforts WORK ENVIRONMENT: The post-doc will be hosted at Duke University Marine Laboratory. The postdoctoral fellow will be under the supervision of Assistant Professor David Gill (Duke University, USA) and Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai (Talanoa Consulting, Fiji) and will benefit from the expertise of all project members. These project members represent a global team of practitioners and academic researchers from conservation and development sectors working at local through global scales. Additionally, the postdoc will benefit from being immersed in the Duke University Marine Lab community comprising students, researchers, faculty, and other post-doctoral researchers. The project will also provide a specific budget for a laptop and for travels to workshops and other meetings. REQUIREMENTS: A PhD in an environmental, economic, or related field (e.g., geography, resource management, environmental studies/science, or related disciplines) with strong experience in causal inference research. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person with an interdisciplinary background and training. QUALIFICATIONS: Required Qualifications: o Very strong statistical and analytical skills with a strong background in causal inference approaches (e.g. quantitative and/or qualitative counterfactual-based approaches, Difference in Difference models, Qualitative Comparative Analysis, Bayesian hierarchical modelling); o Experience working with and synthesizing different types of social and ecological data at various spatial scales; o Experience working in R; o Strong written, digital and verbal communication skills, able to translate complex ideas into accessible concepts and language tailored to multiple audiences; o Good team player, able to work independently and coordinate with large interdisciplinary teams and in different time zones; o Ability to co-developing research outputs in a large team of academic and non-academic collaborators from diverse cultural backgrounds; o Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; o Fluency in English, both written and verbal. o Ability to work at Duke University Preferred Qualifications: o Experience with marine science and/or tropical environments; o Experience working with GitHub or other version-control platforms; o Experience working in large teams with diverse disciplinary, sectoral, and cultural backgrounds; o For those experts in qualitative data, qualitative data experience and analytical skills are considered an asset.Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Link to Google Scholar Profile
- Three reference letters (to be submitted online by the reference writers on this site. Letters should be submitted by 2026/02/28 11:59PM )
And anything else requested in the position description.
Further Info: