M/F 24 months - Post-doc fellow for the devleopement of individual based model for seabirds

Job Description

Missions

The development of renewable energies is essential if we are to combat global warming. The development of offshore wind power is booming in France and is set to grow even more in the decades to come. However, the development of wind farms on land and at sea is having an impact on biodiversity, destroying the habitats of species that are sometimes protected, but also causing death to flying species (birds and bats) through collisions with turbine blades or masts.
Reconciling the development of offshore wind farms with the conservation of seabirds requires essential spatial planning. To be relevant, this planning must be based on a detailed understanding and prediction, in time and space, of the impacts or risks that seabird populations exposed to this new anthropogenic pressure will suffer, in addition to other existing threats, such as accidental catches by fisheries, the depletion of food resources linked to overfishing or climate change, epidemic episodes (avian flu, avian cholera) or the occurrence of extreme climatic events. The combination of these different pressures, particularly from human activities, is set to change over the coming decades, partly because of the changes that the marine environment will undergo in response to climate change and changes in the way the environment is used, and partly because offshore wind power will continue to develop strongly.
However, there are many uncertainties surrounding the evolution of these different pressures. Better prediction of the response of seabird populations to the various anthropogenic pressures, in order to help in the planning of offshore wind farms, therefore implies adopting a methodology based on the modelling of plausible scenarios that explicitly take into account the possible changes in the various pressures.
The aim of the BIRDYNAMIC II project, funded by the national offshore wind farm observatory and Ministère de la Transition Ecologique, is to develop these scenarios in order to better anticipate changes in seabird populations over the coming years.

Activity

The two postdoctoral researchers recruited for this project will be responsible for (i) participating in the development of an individual-centered model that combines wind farm avoidance and collisions to model the demographic impact of offshore wind energy development on bird populations, (ii) contribute to the development of a range of plausible scenarios for possible changes in pressures on these bird populations in order to better predict their potential future. To this end, they will analyze, in particular, capture-mark-recapture data collected from seabird colonies in France to feed the models with appropriate values for demographic parameters. They will also analyze the spatial use of seabirds to refine the simulation of individual movements in the individual-centered model. The postdoctoral researchers will be required to draw on data from the literature, analyze unpublished data (including capture-mark-recapture data, GPS data, and/or at-sea counts), and potentially conduct interviews with experts (including international experts) to build models that are as realistic as possible.
The project is expected to produce reports for the government and international scientific publications.
Supervision of trainees is planned.

Your Profil

Skills

Strong skills in statistical modelling of data and in particular in population dynamics (CMR data, Leslie matrix) and spatial modelling (GPS tracking data).

Your Work Environment

The post-doctoral students will be based at the CEFE in the HAIR team and in the MAD team, both of which are heavily involved in reconciling the development of renewable energies with the protection of biodiversity. Two additional people will be recruited within a year to complete the project team.

Constraints and risks

None

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

From 3071,50 euros gross monthly depending on experience

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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