Oceanography Lab Tech

The Marine Biogeochemistry Lab at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab conducts interdisciplinary research focused on the biotic and abiotic influences on microbial cycling of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. Our work spans diverse environments, from coastal salt marshes to the deep-sea subsurface and extreme hypersaline ecosystems.

We seek a motivated individual to join our research team. We strive to create a supportive environment that enables members to grow professionally while performing high-quality research into global elemental cycling.

Responsibilities

• General Lab Maintenance: Manage material organization, purchasing, and chemical inventory, while performing other assigned duties.
• Specialized Biogeochemical Analyses: Conduct sample processing for sediment geochemistry, including stable- and radio-isotopic methods to quantify microbial activities.
• Experimental Preparation: Assist and maintain process-based biogeochemical incubations.
• Data Quality Control: Perform data entry and quality control for geochemical datasets and molecular approaches used to determine environmental community structures.

Fieldwork Requirements

This position requires active participation in field research characteristic of the Bowles Lab:

• Coastal & Marsh Research: Deployment of Wardenaar core samplers and equipment in coastal salt marshes to measure methane production and soil organic carbon.
• Offshore Research Cruises: Participation in cruises aboard research vessels (e.g., R/V Pelican, R/V Atlantis) involving sediment coring and water column sampling.
• Extreme Environments Ability to work in varied conditions ranging from local Alabama coastal waters to potentially remote or extreme environments.
• Physical Demands: Work involves long field days (> 8 hours) in extreme weather (heat, rain, cold) and requires lifting heavy field gear up to 50 pounds.

Job Requirements & Skills

• Education: Undergraduate (B.Sc.) or Master’s (M.S.) degree in Marine Science, Oceanography, Chemistry, Geology, or related disciplines.
• Preferred Experience: General laboratory experience in biogeochemistry or microbiology; proficiency in coding languages such as Python, Matlab, or R for data modeling.
• Technical Proficiency: Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace.
• Collaboration: Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team.

How to Apply

Submit a curriculum vitae and the names of two professional references to Dr. Marshall Bowles with Technician Position in the subject line.

The position is a salaried role with a one-year term; renewal is dependent upon performance and available funding.