Position Description

Applications are invited for an 18-month postdoctoral fellowship focused on the development, calibration, and application of the first OSMOSE ecosystem model for the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence to assess the impacts of climate change on Quebec's major marine fisheries. The Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence is one of the largest estuarine ecosystems in North America and supports fisheries of major ecological, economic, and social importance. As this ecosystem experiences rapid environmental change, including ocean warming, deoxygenation, acidification, and increasing human activities, resource managers require robust ecosystem-based tools capable of anticipating the responses of exploited species and marine food webs.

This project will develop the first OSMOSE ecosystem model for the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, providing a new modelling framework to understand and project changes in marine food webs and commercial fisheries under future climate scenarios. The model will integrate the major commercial species, their prey, and trophic interactions to simulate future changes in biomass, spatial distribution, and fisheries catches. Model outputs will also support the development of a complementary economic model aimed at evaluating the impacts of climate change on Quebec fisheries and assessing potential adaptation strategies. This project is funded by the Quebec Ministry ‘Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les Changements Climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs’ (MELCCFP).

The successful candidate will join a dynamic interdisciplinary research team bringing together experts in ecosystem modelling, marine ecology, fisheries science, and natural resource economics at the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR). The position offers numerous opportunities to collaborate with provincial, national, and international partners involved in marine ecosystem research and fisheries management.

Main Responsibilities

The successful candidate will contribute to an interdisciplinary research program focused on developing an ecosystem model and integrating it within a broader bioeconomic framework for fisheries assessment. Responsibilities include:

Compile, harmonize, document, and analyze biological, fisheries, and environmental datasets required for the development of OSMOSE Design, parameterize, and develop the first regional OSMOSE configuration for the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Calibrate, validate, and document the model using available historical datasets; Integrate environmental forcing from regional climate simulations and perform projections under multiple climate scenarios Develop prospective simulation scenarios to evaluate the impacts of climate change on marine food webs, exploited species, and fisheries catches Collaborate closely with the postdoctoral researcher leading the economic component of the project to integrate ecosystem model outputs into the bioeconomic framework Contribute to methodological developments and improvements of the modelling framework where appropriate Publish research findings in peer-reviewed international journals and present results at national and international conferences Contribute to the supervision of graduate students and participate actively in the research activities of the group

This project offers the opportunity to contribute to the development of a reference ecosystem modelling tool for the prospective assessment of Quebec marine ecosystems while producing several high-impact scientific publications.

Qualifications

Applicants should have: A Ph.D. in oceanography, marine ecology, fisheries science, ecological modelling, applied mathematics, or a closely related discipline Strong experience in ecological modelling, marine ecosystem modelling, or population modelling Experience with one or more ecosystem models (e.g., OSMOSE, Atlantis, Ecopath with Ecosim, or equivalent) is considered a strong asset Proficiency in R, Matlab and/or Python; experience with Java is considered an asset Experience handling and analysing large biological, fisheries, or environmental datasets Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary research environment Excellent organizational, communication, and scientific writing skills in English; knowledge of French is considered an asset

Funding

Duration: 18 months Salary: CAD $50,000 per year, plus employee benefits Additional funding is available to support conference travel, research activities, and professional development.

Application

Applications will be reviewed beginning August 1, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled.

Applications should include

A detailed curriculum vitae A cover letter One example of a scientific publication or writing sample Contact information for two referees

The preferred starting date is November 1, 2026, although some flexibility is possible.

For further information or to apply, please contact

Dr. Déborah Benkort

Assistant Professor of Oceanography Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) Phone: +1 (418) 723-1986 ext. 1259 Email: Deborah_benkort@uqar.ca