Postdoc Job Ad: Wading Bird Ecology in the Everglades

The Weecology group run by Morgan Ernest and Ethan White at the University of Florida is seeking a post-doctoral researcher to join our Everglades Wading Bird project. This is a long-term study monitoring wading bird breeding colonies in the Everglades, with long-term (30+ years) and large-scale (> 3000 sq km) data on nesting effort and nest success for multiple species of wading birds. We are looking for someone interested in leading research in one of two areas: 1) cross-scale drivers of wading bird breeding activity and success, 2) developing automated drone-based monitoring of nest success using aerial imagery and computer vision. Because the Everglades is undergoing one of the largest restoration efforts in the world, Weecology interacts with a wide array of state and federal agencies making this an excellent opportunity for people passionate about research with real-world applications as well as those more interested in studying general ecological processes and/or using technology to expand the scope of data collection in ecology. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork, but it is not a required activity.

At Weecology, we are committed to supporting and training a broad scientific workforce. Former Weecologists work at NGOs, big and small companies, teaching-focused colleges, and research universities. Current and former group members encompass a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds from the U.S. and other countries, members of the LGBTQ+ community, military veterans, people with disabilities, and students who are the first generation in their family to go to college. We work hard to create a supportive lab environment for everyone in the group and expect all members of Weecology to help achieve this goal.

Postdoc funding is guaranteed for 1 year with a second year available pending no changes to funding availability. Salary is $60,000 and the position can start as early as July 1^st 2026 but the successful candidate must be able to start no later than September 28^th 2026.  Remote work is unfortunately not an option for this position, so applicants should be willing to move to Gainesville, FL.

Applicants should email Dr. Morgan Ernest (skmorgane@ufl.edu) by May 8th, 2026 with their CV including a list of three references and a cover letter detailing their research interests/experiences and which wading bird project outlined above they would be interested in working on and why.