Job Description

Position overview

Position title:
Fisheries Collaborative Program Researchers (Assistant Research, Associate Research, and Research ranks)



Salary range:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience. The UCSC Salary Scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the scale titled, Represented Professional Research Series Fiscal Year . A reasonable estimate for the annual salary of a full-time position is $96,700 - $175,700, actual salary will be adjusted based on appointment percentage.

Percent time:
Variable, 10%- 100% based on the available funding, work, and/or programmatic need.

Anticipated start:
Appointments are contingent on the hiring unit's need and the availability of funding. This recruitment is valid for initial appointments to the Professional Research title series made from September 2026 through March 2027.

Position duration:
Initial appointment will be for a minimum of one year. Reappointment may be considered contingent upon the availability of work and appropriate funding. Should the hiring unit propose reappointment; a review to assess performance will be conducted.

Application Window

Open date: July 1, 2026

Most recent review date: Friday, Jul 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.

Final date: Friday, Jan 29, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Fisheries Collaborative Program (FCP) in the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for an ongoing pool of researchers who may be appointed to support research efforts on the conservation and management of California's living marine resources in one or more of the following areas:

• Salmon ecology (including biophysical ecology, modeling, acoustic telemetry, and landscape and seascape ecology)
• Fisheries assessment (including habitat and groundfish ecology and assessment modeling)
• Molecular ecology and genetic analysis
• Ecosystem forecasting
• Salmon life history
• Climate and ecosystems
• CoastWatch /PolarWatch
• Fisheries resources (including advanced survey technologies, oceanography, and coastal pelagic and highly migratory marine species).

FCP fosters research collaborations between federal and state scientists, UCSC faculty, IMS researchers, and students. The research activities of the FCP include field studies and laboratory experiments, modeling, and computational studies, involving marine and freshwater species and habitats. Comprehensive studies are being conducted on the ecology and life history of Pacific salmonids and other fishes. FCP research supports the conservation of coastal biodiversity and the sustainable management of fisheries resources.

Professional Researchers engage in independent research that is equivalent to that required for professors in the University of California (UC) system. Under the direction of the IMS Faculty Director , FCP researchers are expected to make significant and creative contributions to various research projects and provide technical expertise, that is once again equivalent to that required of UC professors. FCP researchers do not have teaching responsibilities but may be asked to participate in education and outreach efforts that are aligned with FCP grant deliverables. Some FCP researchers will supervise research personnel, technical IT or program management staff and, with campus approval, serve as grant/contract Principal Investigators (PIs).

The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.

Fisheries Collaborative Program :

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at the time the application is submitted)

• Ph.D. (or equivalent foreign degree) in fishing and fisheries sciences and management, marine biology and biological oceanography, ocean/marine sciences, oceanography, ecology, evolutionary biology, environmental science, biology, or a related field.

• Research record of field or laboratory studies in the areas of fisheries science, fisheries management, marine science, oceanography, climate variability, natural resources management, or a related field.

Your application must demonstrate (e.g., in your C.V. or cover letter) that you meet the basic qualifications when you submit your application . There are no exceptions to this requirement.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

Reminder: Your application must demonstrate (e.g., in your C.V. or cover letter) that you meet the advertised basic qualifications when you submit your application. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

• Cover Letter

• Statement of Research

Reference requirements

• 3-5 letters of reference required

Applications must include confidential letters of recommendation*. Note that your references, or dossier service, will submit their confidential letters directly to the UC Recruit System.

*All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. For any reference letter provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service, career center), direct the author to UCSC's confidentiality statement at

Apply link:

Help contact: innes@ucsc.edu

About UC Santa Cruz

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment
  

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at jobaccommodations@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-4602.

Notice of Availability: In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act), UCSC publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report is published by October 1st of each year and includes current institutional policies and procedures concerning campus safety and security; fire safety and evacuation policies; sexual misconduct and relationship violence reporting and response protocols; and crime and fire statistics for the three previous calendar years. A paper copy of the ASFSR is available upon request by contacting the UCSC Police Department at 114 Carriage House Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, or by calling 831-459-2231 Ext. 1.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz, as outlined in campus policy CAPM 102.530.

UCSC is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.

The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

VISIT UC Santa Cruz

Job location
Santa Cruz, Monterey, or La Jolla, CA. Incumbents may be fully remote, hybrid, or co-located with research collaborators. Work location will depend on incumbent's research area and will be driven by research necessity.

Job Tags

Full time, Contract work, Local area, Remote work, Visa sponsorship, Work visa

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