If you would like to include a position on this page, please contact Dr. Raisha Lovindeer at raisha@ioccg.org.
Postdoctoral Researcher, Marine Optics and Remote Sensing group (MarSens), Ghent University, the Netherlands
Application deadline: 5 September 2025
A postdoctoral position is open at the Marine Optics and Remote Sensing group (MarSens) – part of the Faculty of Sciences (Biology, Campus De Sterre), Ghent University. MarSens develops and applies in situ and remote sensing observations to study marine particles (such as plankton, ‘marine snow’, and (bio)minerals), which play a key role in ocean ecosystems and the carbon cycle. The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to both ongoing and new research projects in the field of marine optics and remote sensing.
Responsibilities include:
- Archiving, processing, and analyzing Earth observation satellite imagery of coastal and oceanic waters.
- Developing and applying remote sensing algorithms for ecological and biogeochemical parameters.
- Processing in situ data (optical and biogeochemical measurements).
- Participating in field campaigns at sea (approximately 20 days/year).
with optional additional tasks
- Laboratory work (e.g., optical measurements)
- Supervision of MSc and PhD students
- Support in applying for research funding
- Occasional teaching assignments
Qualifications
- PhD in remote sensing, marine bio-optics, marine sciences, or oceanography.
- Experience with:
- Processing satellite data (including atmospheric correction of ocean colour imagery)
- Developing and applying remote sensing algorithms
- Fieldwork at sea and handling optical field data
- Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and/or R
- Foundational understanding of marine biogeochemistry and ecology
Read more about the position and apply at
https://jobs.ugent.be/job/Ghent-postdoctoral-researcher-9000/825464702/
PhD position in remote sensing of primary production around offshore wind farms, NIOZ, Yerseke, the Netherlands
Application deadline: 12 September 2025
The Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems research of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to study primary production around offshore wind farms (position for 4 years).
THE INSTITUTE
NIOZ is the national oceanographic institute of the Netherlands. Its principal mission is to perform academically excellent, multidisciplinary, fundamental and frontier-applied marine research and education addressing important scientific and societal questions pertaining to the functioning of oceans, seas and deltas. NIOZ advances fundamental understanding of marine systems, the way they change, the role they play in climate and biodiversity, and how they may provide sustainable solutions to society in the future. NIOZ serves as national marine research facilitator for the scientific community in the Netherlands. In addition to its research and education, NIOZ supports marine-policy development within the national and international context.
THE DEPARTMENT
The department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS) of NIOZ is based in Yerseke. We study how the interplay between biota, hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics and biochemistry shapes the estuarine, deltaic and coastal environments within the context of natural and human-induced environmental changes. Our department has a multidisciplinary approach that combines state-of-the-art biophysical, biochemical, ecological and physiological measurements and experiments with remote sensing and numerical modelling to create in-depth understanding of the processes that control estuarine and delta systems. One important focus for the department is how our research can create value for society.
THE PROJECT
NO-REGRETS (North Sea Renewable Energy: Gaining the Required Ecological Knowledge for the Transition) is a six-year (2025-2031) project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO-NWA ORC) and examines the ecological and economic trade-offs of upscaling Offshore Wind Farms (OWFs) in the context of climate change and the ongoing food and nature transitions in the North Sea. The project has an interdisciplinary consortium of world-class expertise from eight Dutch Universities, five Research Institutes and relevant societal stakeholders that play a major role in research and management of the North Sea. The six-year program (2025-2031) advances knowledge on potential impacts of OWFs on ocean currents, suspended sediments, microscopic plankton, various life stages of fishes, seabed composition, seafloor organisms, marine mammals, and sea birds. Economic analyses explore changes in the value of marine fisheries and other ocean assets. Co-developed with stakeholders, NO-REGRETS will create tools allowing policymakers, industries and other stakeholders to gauge and optimise the ecological and bioeconomic consequences of North Sea OWF expansion.
THE RESEARCH POSITION
This PhD project focuses on the role of Offshore Wind farms on phytoplankton and primary production. Phytoplankton is the main primary producer in the North Sea and forms the base of the marine food chain. The candidate will determine phytoplankton and primary production dynamics in the North Sea, using time-series of satellite data. The satellite data will be complemented by in situ measurements of phytoplankton and primary production, water quality, light conditions, suspended sediments and other environmental conditions in a series of joint shipborne campaigns (2 weeks each) within and around Offshore Wind Farms and in the wider North Sea. An algorithm will be constructed to estimate primary production from the remote sensing images, constrained by in situ measurements, and will be applied to map the dynamics of water quality and (hotspots) of primary production. This will allow assessing the role of Offshore Wind Farms and their characteristics on primary production, under varying environmental conditions (tides, waves, stratification, water depth, light climate, sediments). The results will also help improve model projections and inform studies on the marine food web (e.g., in close collaboration with colleagues studying zooplankton dynamics). The candidate will communicate the findings in (project) meetings, scientific articles and in a PhD thesis.
THE CANDIDATE
We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with:
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an MSc degree in remote sensing, marine ecology, oceanography, earth science or similar
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affinity with (satellite) remote sensing and programming
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affinity with shipborne campaigns
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an open, communicative and collaborative attitude
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good English oral and writing skills
The selected candidate will be based at NIOZ in Yerseke, in cooperation with University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), and with other institutes within the project.
We are a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.
CONDITIONS
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Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I, for a total duration of 4 years. You start with an appointment for the duration of 1 year and, after a positive evaluation in the 9th month (Go-No go), you will be extended to the full period of 4 years.
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Salary compliant with scales for PhD candidate (OIOs) CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes).
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An appointment at NIOZ as a PhD candidate means working and learning simultaneously conform the NIOZ PhD policy.
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338 annualized holiday hours for a full-time 40-hour work week.
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Pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.33%.
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2nd class public transportation travel is reimbursed 100%.
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Employment benefits plan to exchange a portion of your salary for days off or vice versa, or can be used to purchase a bicycle with tax benefits.
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We offer relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation. Yerseke is located on commuting distance from major cities such as Antwerpen, Breda, Bergen op Zoom and Middelburg.
MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. dr. Daphne van der Wal. For additional information about the procedure, please send an e-mail to working@nioz.nl
This vacancy is open until and including 12 September 2025. Interviews will be held in September at NIOZ Yerseke or online. We aim for this project to start in November 2025.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please see the following link:
https://workingat.nioz.nl/o/
Innovation Challenge for Individuals or Teams: Remote-Sensing Water Quality with Satellites, Fish Welfare Initiative (FWI), Remote/India
Deadline: 20 August 2025
In FWI’s current main program, the Alliance for Responsible Aquaculture (ARA) in India collects water quality data from member fish farms. If critical water quality parameters indicate that fish may be exposed to poor conditions, the team provides farmers with recommendations for corrective actions.
The current ARA model requires FWI staff to physically visit fish farms to measure water quality. The scalability of this model is limited, which caps the number of farms FWI staff can visit each day, and reduces the overall impact and cost-effectiveness of the program. FWI therefore wishes to determine ways to assess water quality without intensive in-field presence.
The Proposed Solution: Satellite-Based Remote-Sensing
Monitoring water quality using satellites may be one opportunity to remotely assess critical parameters and improve the scalability and impact of the ARA. Remotely monitoring water quality would allow more frequent data collection from member farms, with lower resource input. This technology also offers a potential mechanism to support many more farms, helping to cost-effectively scale the program.
FWI is seeking interested parties to either:
- Develop new models allowing us to remotely monitor key water quality parameters at aquaculture farms in India through analysis of satellite data, or
- Share existing models that can be utilised for our purposes.
A financial reward—up to USD 100,000—is provided, based on the outcome of the validation process.
Eligibility
This Innovation Challenge is open to anyone.
Submissions from technology companies, academic institutions, non-profit organisations, individuals/groups, or any party that has relevant experience that can be applied to this challenge are encouraged.
Interested parties are invited to notify FWI that they have a model or models ready for validation by 20 August 2025. The submission process does not require the submission of any code, merely a brief description of the model/s.
Research Engineer Position–Optical Remote Sensing for Water Color and Algorithm Development, CNRS, Wimereux, Franc
Application deadline: 1 July 2025
Job Reference: UMR8187-CHAVER-002
Expected Start Date: October 1, 2025
The CNRS Section Interactions, Particles, Nuclei from the Laboratory to the Cosmos is looking for a Research Engineer Position on Optical Remote Sensing for Water Color and Algorithm Development. The contract is fixed-term for 12 months.
This position is part of the TOSCA/CNES-funded TRISHNA-CLEC project, which focuses on preparing for the upcoming TRISHNA satellite mission dedicated to ocean monitoring. Developed through a French-Indian partnership, TRISHNA will offer high-resolution and high-frequency imagery of Earth’s surface in the solar and thermal infrared domains. The satellite is scheduled for launch in 2026.
The Research Engineer will contribute to the adaptation and development of existing algorithms and models (including atmospheric correction, the WiPE water mask, sun-glint correction, and suspended matter retrieval models) to suit the specific resolution and capabilities of TRISHNA for water color remote sensing.
Postdoctoral Researcher on Phytoplankton blooms diversity and dynamics in coastal waters, Nantes Université, France
Application deadline: 20 July 2025
An 18-month Postdoctoral Researcher position is available to study remote sensing and ecology of phytoplankton blooms, at Nantes University (France). The post-doctoral researcher, supervised by Pierre GERNEZ, will carry out scientific and technical tasks in accordance with the project “Land-Sea interface: Let’s observe together!” (LandSeaLot), focusing on advancing the understanding of phytoplankton dynamics, in particular of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and red tide events (i.e. seawater discoloration associated with phytoplankton blooms) in coastal waters off the Seine Estuary (France).
She/he will contribute to:
- Support the development of a comprehensive, integrated database combining long-term data from in situ measurements (microscopic identification of phytoplankton species and cell counts, pigment concentration, as well as high-frequency chlorophyll-a concentration derived from chlorophyll-a fluorescence) and satellite-derived observations (e.g., remote-sensing reflectance, optical water types and optical bloom types, concentration of chlorophyll-a and suspended particulate matter);
- Investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of dominant phytoplankton taxons to enhance the monitoring and understanding of HABs and red tide events;
- Develop and apply statistical methods such as dynamic linear models (DLM), generalized additive models (GAM), or ecological trajectory analysis (ETA) to study phytoplankton temporal variability using time series of satellite images, as well as advanced classification methodologies to map bloom-causing phytoplankton groups and/or phenoregions;
- Validate satellite-derived products (chlorophyll-a concentration and optical bloom type) using available field observations;
- Occasionally participate to the acquisition of field data, including seawater sampling for phytoplankton identification and measurements of optical properties (above-water reflectance and particulate absorption);
- Contribute to the post-sampling processing of field data;
- Conduct multidisciplinary scientific analyses that integrate diverse datasets and fields of knowledge (from marine ecology to ocean colour remote sensing), improving the understanding of phytoplankton bloom dynamics and diversity in river-dominated ocean margin system (namely the bay area influenced by freshwater inputs from the Seine river, in Normandy, France);
- Maintain interactive communication and collaboration with colleagues at Nantes University as well as with other project’s participants (in particular the research teams of Tania HERNANDEZ at Ifremer and Pascal CLAQUIN University of Caen), providing feedback, and participating in interdisciplinary discussions to ensure successful project execution. Prepare reports on scientific activities every six months and a final project report, ensuring clear documentation of progress, achievements, and challenges;
- Publish and disseminate research results in international peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at relevant conferences and workshops
Postdoctoral Position at the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (CNRM) in Toulouse, France
Application deadline: June 20, 2025
Start date: October 1, 2025
A 2-year postdoctoral position at the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (CNRM) in Toulouse, France, is now available. The position is within the framework of the Satellite-Assisted Monitoring and Oceanic Understanding System for Sargassum in the Atlantic (ANR SAMOUSSA) project.
The objective of SAMOUSSA is to develop new methods for Sargassum detection using data from the Meteosat Third Generation geostationary satellite (MTG-FCI), and to integrate these observations into the NEMO-Sarg biogeochemical model. The goal is to improve our understanding of the life cycle and seasonal evolution of Sargassum blooms in the North Atlantic and to support operational forecasting capacities.
This project is closely linked to the institutional mission of Météo-France on Sargassum, established in 2023. Météo-France is currently the only European public service with a dedicated mandate for monitoring and forecasting Sargassum strandings, providing early warning services to local communities in the French Caribbean and Guiana.
The successful candidate will:
- Contribute to the development and validation of MTG-based detection algorithms
- Work on the integration of satellite data into the NEMO-Sarg model
- Develop a combined MTG/GOES Sargassum observation product
- Produce and evaluate seasonal forecast simulations
- Engage in national and international collaborations (e.g., GLIMR, WHOI)
See more information about the position (in French and English).
Research position: Atmospheric aerosols, satellite data, air quality monitoring and forecasting, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), USA.
Apply by: 18 July 2025 (open until filled)
The Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II (GESTAR II) consortium at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) invites applications for a research scientist position in the field of atmospheric sciences, earth sciences, or remote sensing.
The incoming scientist will join the Biospheric Sciences Laboratory (Code 618) at GSFC.The Biospheric Sciences Laboratory studies terrestrial ecosystems and their interactions with the atmosphere using multiscale remote sensing, mathematical modeling, and advanced analytical techniques. This research allows Laboratory scientists to characterize and predict environmental changes due to natural and anthropogenic processes at local to global scales.
The incumbent scientist will conduct research on atmospheric aerosol properties, perform satellite retrieval of aerosol properties, and validate satellite datasets with AERONET and air quality networks. The scientist will also perform air quality monitoring and forecastings, and application of machine learning for surface air quality estimations and forecastings using satellite datasets.
Required Qualifications:
- PhD in an atmospheric sciences, earth sciences, or remote sensing discipline,
- Specific experience analyzing large volume of data from Earth Observing System instruments (e.g., VIIRS, GOES, TEMPO) and interpreting within the context of ground-based aerosol measurements (e.g. AERONET, AirNow).
- Experience in air quality modeling, machine learning methods, and computer programming are required.
The successful candidate will join the GESTAR II Consortium which supports over 120 researchers based primarily at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). GESTAR II researchers work to create extensive opportunities for breakthroughs in earth and atmospheric science research, carrying out observational, experimental and theoretical research in support of NASA strategic Earth Science mission objectives.
Goddard’s Earth Science Division is home to about 200 civil servants and over 1200 collaborating researchers and support personnel, dedicated to studying the Earth as an integrated system that includes the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, cryosphere, and geosphere. The Division operates as a component of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate that collaborate on interdisciplinary research with the Astrophysics Science, Heliophysics Science, and Solar System Exploration Divisions.
The nominal starting date is September 2025, but alternate dates are possible depending on availability.
How to Apply:
Candidates should provide a cover letter, CV (including publication list) and a 3-page statement of research interests. Short-listed candidates will be asked to supply three letters of reference at a later date. All materials and inquiries should be sent by email Subject line: Task 173: Researcher Position to: Halley Thompson (halleyt@umbc.edu)
Completed applications received by Friday, 18 July will receive full consideration, however the posting will remain open until the position is filled.
Salary and benefits are competitive, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The GESTAR II consortium and NASA GSFC are committed to building a diverse research community and encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans. All GESTAR II institutions are Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employers.
Postdoctoral Fellow (m/f/d) in remote sensing of lake tipping points, Eawag, Switzerland
Open until filled
The Department of Surface Waters – Research and Management (Surf) at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow in remote sensing of lake tipping points. The aim of this position is to explore large Earth observation product archives and investigate variables featuring signals of shifts in aquatic ecosystems, as well as shifts in environmental variables in the catchment that impact remotely sensed water quality variables.
The European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative has compiled high-quality datasets for a large number of Essential Climate Variables (ECV) for lakes and various other ecosystem types. In the project, an international and interdisciplinary team of Earth observation experts and limnologists performs research on spatio-temporal features and environmental implications of ecosystem tipping points using these ECV datasets and complementary model simulations and observations. During two years, the team will implement two case studies on selected lake regions, while inter-acting with experts that implement comparable studies for other ecosystem types.
Seeking a motivated person at the post-doc level who will be involved in the following tasks:
- Implementation and application of Earth observation algorithms
- Investigate and estimate Earth observation product uncertainties
- Data analysis, interpretation and interdisciplinary communication
- Conducting and supporting two jointly designed case studies
The successful candidate will have a PhD in remote sensing, environmental science, or similar, and have an in-depth understanding of statistical analysis and excellent programming skills (e.g. Python, Matlab). Proficient spoken and written English, good organizational skills and an independent working style are required.
PhD in Biology: Production and transfer of essential nutrients on synoptic scales, Dalhousie University, NS, Canada
Open until filled
One PhD position is currently available through the Transforming Climate Action program. This interdisciplinary project combines remote sensing, lipid analysis and phytoplankton physiology. The student will be supervised by S. Budge (Dalhousie University) and E. Devred (Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada).
Description
While the importance of incorporating stoichiometry into ecosystem models is well recognized, models continue to be carbon-based. The addition of essential nutrients to these models would improve the accuracy of predictions of ecosystem functions and properties, leading to better decision-making regarding management and conservation of our marine resources. This PhD project will use both in-situ sampling and at-sea incubations to establish relationships between essential fatty acids and chlorophyll production, and develop algorithms to enable the estimation of fatty acid production from remote sensing of ocean colour.
Required qualifications and salary
Applicants should be highly motivated, hold an MSc degree and be interested in interdisciplinary ocean research. PhD students in the Department of Biology start at $25,000/year in take-home pay, with the possibility to TA for additional income. Funding is guaranteed for four years.
How to apply
Candidates should provide a cover letter detailing their motivation and relevant experience, a CV and contact details of two referees. Applications should be submitted to Suzanne.Budge@dal.ca.
The sixth International Ocean Colour Science (IOCS) meeting will take place in Darmstadt, Germany from 1 – 4 December 2025, hosted by EUMETSAT and ESA with support from other agencies.