Join the Team

Thank you for your interest in joining our group. Work in the Fish Mac research group is computational - meaning that we use statistical or other mathematical models fitted to existing data (or simulations) to address our research questions. This means we rarely collect field or laboratory data ourselves. Successful students will have an interest in fish or fisheries, using theory to answer applied questions, and either have prior experience with coding and statistics or be willing to learn.

Graduate student position available at University of Delaware
The Fish Macroecology Research Group at the University of Delaware is seeking a motivated master’s student to join our team starting in Fall 2026. Our group studies how climate change shapes the ecology of commercially important fishes, with a focus on research questions that inform management and policy. The student will integrate fisheries survey data with oceanographic models and databases into statistical models to understand the past and future effects of climate change on processes such as life histories (e.g., growth, size-at-age), population dynamics, and geographic distributions. Specific research projects will be developed collaboratively and will involve both UD faculty and researchers at NOAA Fisheries.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marine science, ecology, fisheries science, biology, or related discipline
• Demonstrated interest in quantitative ecology, data science, and statistics
• Self-motivated, organized, ability to work independently and collaboratively

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in quantitative ecology, data science, and/or statistics
• Programming experience in R
• Experience conducting research in the natural sciences
• Experience with scientific writing

Location:
The Fish Macroecology group is based in the School of Marine Science and Policy in the College of Earth, Ocean, and the Environment at the University of Delaware. The position will be based at the Hugh R. Sharp campus in Lewes, DE.

To apply:
Interested students should contact Dr. Jenny Bigman (Assistant Professor, University of Delaware) at jbigman@udel.edu before submitting a formal application for graduate school to UD. Please send a single PDF file that includes:

1. Cover letter outlining background, career goals, interests in joining Fish Mac group and UD SMSP/CEOE
   
2. Curriculum vitae (CV)
   
3. Short statement of research interests (1 page max)
   
4. Writing sample (e.g., a publication, proposal, research paper)
   
5. Unofficial transcripts
   
6. Name and contact information for two professional references
   

Please see UD’s Graduate Admission’s website for more information on the UD application process.

Outside of this opportunity, we are always looking for motivated students who are interested in the work that we do. Funding for graduate students at UD SMSP comes from grants, so availability of positions can be limited. If you are interested, please email jbigman@udel.edu.

We encourage students and those looking for postdoc fellowships to apply for funding. Please email jbigman@udel.edu to discuss any of the following funding sources.