Graduate Assistantships

Note

Applicants should take an active role in contacting faculty member(s) who could potentially advise them, as well as make an effort to seek funding before applying.

Current Graduate Research Opportunities

Graduate Research Assistantship in Fishing Gear Modeling

An MS track research assistantship in the UMass Intercampus Marine Science Graduate Program is available at the School for Marine Science & Technology at UMass Dartmouth with a primary focus on modeling fishing gear.

The research project, funded for one year, seeks to model the flow around a dredge to better understand the influence of dredge geometry on fishing selectivity and bycatch. Applicants should have an accredited undergraduate degree in engineering, biology, or related discipline. Candidates having documented prior experience with numerical modeling are strongly preferred. Additionally, professional competence and good command of oral and written English are essential. The appointment is contingent upon the acceptance of the applicant into the UMass Intercampus Marine Science Graduate Program.

To find out more and to be considered for this position please send your CV/resume to Professor Geoffrey Cowles (gcowles@umassd.edu). Further information about policies and entrance requirements pertaining to program admission can be found at .

PhD-level graduate assistantship in ocean turbulence & biogeochemical fluxes

The University of Massachusetts Intercampus Marine Science (IMS) Graduate Program invites applications for a PhD-level graduate research assistantship to study ocean turbulence and biogeochemical fluxes in ocean oxygen-deficient zones starting fall 2021.

This assistantship opportunity is part of an Office of Naval Research-supported study and is fully funded for three years. Research will be conducted at the School for Marine Science & Technology at UMass Dartmouth and will examine the use of sustained autonomous observations for estimating the regional horizontal and vertical fluxes required by biogeochemical budgets. Candidates with a background in oceanography, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, environmental sciences, or a related field are encouraged to apply.

Requirements

Strong quantitative, analytical, and data organization skills
Mathematical analysis & computer programming experience (e.g. Matlab, Fortran, Python)
Good command of oral and written English

To find out more and to be considered for this position please send a letter describing your interests and qualifications for the position, your CV/resume, and contact information for 3 academic/professional references to Professor Mark Altabet (maltabet@umassd.edu).

Please include your GPA and GRE scores (if available). Further information about policies and entrance requirements pertaining to program admission can be found at https://marine.massachusetts.edu/. SMAST is located in the beautiful coastal city of New Bedford, known for its fisheries, seafood industry, and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Graduate Research Assistantship in Coastal Systems

The Coastal Systems Program at SMAST is recruiting one MS/PhD student broadly interested in coastal biogeochemistry. There is some flexibility for students to develop the project foci and desired skillsets under four general themes pending available funding:

Theme 1: Quantify the potential for enhanced nitrogen attenuation in a restored freshwater system upgradient of a moderately nitrogen-impaired estuary.
Theme 2: Track wastewater effluent dispersion/dilution in Buzzards Bay through multi-sensor examination and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Theme 3: Quantify denitrification and secondary reactions associated with permeable reactive barriers under varying environmental conditions.
Theme 4: Develop a centralized database for the systematic analysis of temporal trends in freshwater and estuarine systems.

Requirements

Applicants must not already be committed to a research advisor or thesis topic, and must be willing and qualified to incorporate the above research areas into their thesis research.

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in marine science, marine biology, oceanography, chemistry, biology, ecology, engineering or closely related field is required, as is current enrollment in a graduate level degree program at UMass Dartmouth.

Applicants must be able to work independently and collaboratively, participate in field sampling, and conduct laboratory analyses (e.g., freshwater and marine nutrients) according to standard methods and QA/QC procedures. Ensuring the proper maintenance of field and laboratory equipment, and diagnostics is also a key responsibility. A solid understanding of coastal systems, strong data management and analytical skills, and excellent verbal and written communication abilities are essential.

Applicants should be prepared to work in challenging field conditions (year-round in New England), including overnight fieldwork on occasion. The ability to learn from others and the motivation to self-teach new skills is critical. The position requires frequent travel to Cape Cod study sites (45-90 minutes each way) and occasional nighttime and early morning driving, so applicants must have a valid US driver’s license. Previous experience with trailering and operating outboard engine boats is strongly preferred.

Review of applications is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled. Depending on level of qualifications and current degree program and plan, successful applicants may be eligible for financial support in the form of tuition and/or fee waivers, research assistantships, and/or stipend.

How to Apply

Potential applicants should reach out to Dr. Micheline Labrie at mlabrie@umassd.edu for further information. Positions will start Jan 2025 (preferred) or Fall 2025. Successful applicants will join an exciting team and the vibrant, close-knit student community at SMAST.

To apply, please email the following to mlabrie@umassd.edu:

Cover letter stating your name, degree program, year in degree program, GPA, whether you currently have a research advisor, and describing your practical experience relative to the above areas of experience/expertise and why you are a good fit for this position
Resume
Academic transcript (unofficial accepted)

Note: Please name files with your last name first and what the file is, e.g., Smith_Resume.doc, Smith_Transcript.pdf, etc.

Incomplete applications, or ones that do not follow the above instructions will not be considered.

NUWC Student Programs

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island, offers a suite of research and employment opportunities for students that can be dovetailed with graduate studies at SMAST.