PhD Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)

Job Details

Position Overview: The University of Rhode Island (URI, Rhode Island, USA) is seeking a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) to contribute to a collaborative, interdisciplinary research initiative under the $7 million NSF EPSCoR E-RISE Socio-ecological impact of microplastics in coastal ecosystems (SIM-Coast) project. This prestigious, multi-institutional effort is led by URI in partnership with Brown University, Rhode Island College, and Roger Williams University. As a GRA, you will play a key role in addressing the pressing issue of plastic pollution in coastal environments & its impacts on marine species & ecosystems while developing advanced research skills within an interdisciplinary framework.

This position is based in URI’s College of the Environment & Life Sciences (CELS) & is ideally suited for a detail orientated & highly motivated & driven graduate student with academic interests in marine science, environmental biology, ecology, chemistry, or related disciplines.

This PhD project aims to investigate microplastic pollution across Narragansett Bay & its broader benthic ecosystems by establishing baseline distributions & examining the pathways, behavior, & ecological impacts of microplastics under present-day & near-future environmental conditions. The research will combine field sampling & laboratory-based aquatic studies to assess microplastic interactions with marine species & habitats.

Key components of the project include:

• Conducting fieldwork focused on marine microplastic sampling, particularly in Narragansett Bay, & organismal exposure trials in aquatic labs.
• Performing laboratory analyses & contributing to data processing, interpretation, & reporting.
• Collaborating with students, faculty, & researchers across institutions in a team-based environment.
• Contributing to peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations, & reports for funding agencies & stakeholders.
• Participating in science communication, outreach, & stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Supporting cross-institutional collaboration & workforce development to broaden participation in STEM fields & promote regional environmental resilience.

The project will leverage a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge facilities & instrumentation at URI to support all phases of microplastic exposure & analysis. These include the Marine Science Research Facility on the Bay Campus location, which provides controlled seawater systems for microplastic exposure trials; & on the main Kingston Campus, Dr. Suckling’s clean laboratories, equipped for the extraction & processing of microplastics from environmental & biological samples; the URI Nanoscience Facility, which houses advanced spectroscopic & imaging tools, such as a Confocal Raman microscope, FTIR, SEM, & within CELS a newly installed automated Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectrometer to optimize characterizations & enable high-throughput sample processing.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• MS degree in a relevant topic (e.g. environmental science, marine biology) by the time of starting this position. Applicants without an MS but with experience (see below) will also be considered.
• Demonstrated knowledge & experience of data visualization & statistical analysis (e.g. R or Python).

• Experience of aquatic animal husbandry &/or maintaining research aquarium systems.
• Experience of coastal field work encompassing coastal water/sediment/organismal sampling &/or water quality monitoring.
• Experience of strong organizational, practical, interpersonal, written & verbal communication skills.

• Must be detail orientated to navigate complex lab workflows.
• Hold a valid driver’s license & vehicle & can conduct regular travel for sampling work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience of working in clean laboratory conditions & microplastics sampling, processing &/or characterization &/or chemical analytical instrumentation using spectral libraries.
• Experience & qualifications of boat handling & scientific diving.
• Prior teaching experience within or outside of academia.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement or community-based projects.

Contact Information

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should contact Dr Suckling (coleensuckling@uri.edu) with a resume (including GPAs & detailed skills & experiences; ), a 2 page research statement letter outlining the motivation for the position, relevant skills, preparedness for graduate school & contact details for references who can be reached. Visit www.coleensuckling.co.uk for more details.