Post-doc opportunity in marine ecology and microplastics research

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated researcher to join our group for a 2-year full-time postdoctoral position based at the Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV) at Villefranche sur Mer (France). LOV is a high-level marine science research laboratory of the Sorbonne University (https://www.sorbonne-universite.fr) and CNRS (French National Agency). LOV has a permanent staff of 38 scientists and 20 research technicians working in many multidisciplinary areas of biological, physical and chemical oceanography. The candidate will join the COMPLEx team (https://lov.imev-mer.fr/web/team-complex/) specialized in the study of marine plankton ecology, automatic image classification, numerical analysis and plastic pollution. In addition to characterizing the abundance of plastics, the team is interested in the impact of this pollution on the marine food web and the diversity of the plastisphere, a new ecosystem created by humans and interacting with natural ecosystems. The ultimate goal of these studies is to propose a more functional vision of the marine ecosystem and to better understand how this pollution affects ecosystem services leading to damage to marine life and potential consequences for human health. The post-doc research will be developed in the framework of the EU H2020 LABPLAS project (Land-Based Solutions of Plastics in the Sea https://labplas.eu). The consortium involving 16 partners and 8 European countries (PI: CIM-UVIGO), aims to build capacity (sampling, analysis and quantification, models) to assess the interactions of plastics with environmental compartments (air, water, sediment) and natural cycles, in order to develop innovative and evolutionary models for assessing the fate, effects and risks of plastics. The successful candidate will develop original research related to the following topics in which the laboratory is involved: (i) Microplastics interaction with zooplankton: it consists in analysis of data on plastic and zooplankton levels during cruises in the North Sea, including the Elbe and Thames estuary, in order to develop a "plastic:zooplankton ratio" indicator to report on the good state of pollution of the sea (GES). Data acquired during the project will be compared with existing data from previous expeditions (Tara Mediterranean 2014 and Tara Microplastic 2019 in European waters) in order to better assess the potential for biota to ingest microplastics, and how this ingestion has changed over time. These data will allow for the development of a European database to better assess this threat and to develop managerial tools for implementation of marine microliter monitoring. For this, the candidate will have access to the ongoing analyses of the ZooScan (used in the laboratory to analyze plastic and zooplankton) as well as to associated software, such as ZooProcess and EcoTaxa. (ii) Analysis of experimental data on sedimentation rate and particle ascent in field plastic incubation experiments. 2 (iii) The postdoctoral researcher will also participate with the team in field and lab experiments including plastic ingestion by zooplankton and on plastic descent rates with biofilm. This research will lead to interaction within the other work packages of the project and will foster potential synergies between the parties. The candidate will be involved in all scientific aspects of the project and will participate in workshops and meetings. The post-doc will be based in Villefranche -sur -Mer and supervised by Dr. Maria Luiza Pedrotti. Qualification requirements: Experience in marine biology and data analysis from laboratory and field samples. Statistical and data analysis skills using MATLAB statistical language will be helpful. The candidate should also have scientific writing and presentation skills, be fluent in English and able to work in a team environment. Salary Information: Remuneration is paid in accordance with the Sorbonne's post-doctoral salary scale. The applicant will also benefit of the full funding of the project's research-related activities including travels and the presentation of results at international conferences. The preferred start date for this position is March 2023. Applicants are asked to send their complete applications (enclosing a cover letter with statement of motivation, CV and personal contact information) by email to

pedrotti [at] imev-mer.fr

For additional information about the position, you can contact Dr. Maria Luiza Pedrotti