Opportunities

Opportunities

The latest opportunities to work in Coleen Suckling’s lab in the University of RhodeEchinonerd lab sticker 2 Island, USA are listed here. If you have seen any advertised opportunities from Dr Suckling’s lab elsewhere and they are not listed here, this means that those positions have already been filled and are now closed.

 

PhD Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Position

Start Date: Various pending applicants: January 2026 for a spring start, summer 2026 or Fall 2026.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadline until December 1st 2025.

Position Overview: The University of Rhode Island (URI, Rhode Island, USA) is seeking a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) to contribute to a collaborative, interdisciplinary research initiative under the $7 million NSF EPSCoR E-RISE Socio-ecological impact of microplastics in coastal ecosystems (SIM-Coast) project. This prestigious, multi-institutional effort is led by URI in partnership with Brown University, Rhode Island College, and Roger Williams University. As a GRA, you will play a key role in addressing the pressing issue of plastic pollution in coastal environments & its impacts on marine species & ecosystems while developing advanced research skills within an interdisciplinary framework.

This position is based in URI’s College of the Environment & Life Sciences (CELS) & is ideally suited for a detail orientated & highly motivated & driven graduate student with academic interests in marine science, environmental biology, ecology, chemistry, or related disciplines.

This PhD project aims to investigate microplastic pollution across Narragansett Bay & its broader benthic ecosystems by establishing baseline distributions & examining the pathways, behavior, & ecological impacts of microplastics under present-day & near-future environmental conditions. The research will combine field sampling & laboratory-based aquatic studies to assess microplastic interactions with marine species & habitats.

 Key components of the project include:

  • Conducting fieldwork focused on marine microplastic sampling, particularly in Narragansett Bay, & organismal exposure trials in aquatic labs.
  • Performing laboratory analyses & contributing to data processing, interpretation, & reporting.
  • Collaborating with students, faculty, & researchers across institutions in a team-based environment.
  • Contributing to peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations, & reports for funding agencies & stakeholders.
  • Participating in science communication, outreach, & stakeholder engagement efforts.
  • Supporting cross-institutional collaboration & workforce development to broaden participation in STEM fields & promote regional environmental resilience.

The project will leverage a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge facilities & instrumentation at URI to support all phases of microplastic exposure & analysis. These include the Marine Science Research Facility on the Bay Campus location, which provides controlled seawater systems for microplastic exposure trials; & on the main Kingston Campus, Dr. Suckling’s clean laboratories, equipped for the extraction & processing of microplastics from environmental & biological samples; the URI Nanoscience Facility, which houses advanced spectroscopic & imaging tools, such as a Confocal Raman microscope, FTIR, SEM, & within CELS a newly installed automated Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) spectrometer to optimize characterizations & enable high-throughput sample processing.

Supervisory Team: You will work as part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary team with the following faculty advisors: Lead Advisor: Dr. Coleen Suckling (CELS); Co-Advisors: Dr. Scott McWilliams (CELS) & Dr. Andrew J. Davies (CELS & Graduate School of Oceanography, GSO). This team brings expertise in marine biology, aquaculture, wildlife ecology, oceanographic, anthropogenic pollution & change research, offering the successful candidate a well-rounded mentoring experience.

Required Qualifications

  • MS degree in a relevant topic (e.g. environmental science, marine biology) by the time of starting this position. Applicants without an MS but with experience (see below) will also be considered.
  • Demonstrated knowledge & experience of data visualization & statistical analysis (e.g. R or Python).
  • Experience of aquatic animal husbandry &/or maintaining research aquarium systems.
  • Experience of coastal field work encompassing coastal water/sediment/organismal sampling &/or water quality monitoring.
  • Experience of strong organizational, practical, interpersonal, written & verbal communication skills.
  • Must be detail orientated to navigate complex lab workflows.
  • Hold a valid driver’s license & vehicle & can conduct regular travel for sampling work.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience of working in clean laboratory conditions & microplastics sampling, processing &/or characterization &/or chemical analytical instrumentation using spectral libraries.
  • Experience & qualifications of boat handling & scientific diving.
  • Prior teaching experience within or outside of academia.
  • Experience with stakeholder engagement or community-based projects.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should contact Dr Suckling ([email protected]) with a packet containing i) a full detailed  resume (including GPAs, detailed skills & experiences) instead of a summarized 1–2 page format, ii) a 2 page research statement letter outlining the motivation for the position, relevant skills, preparedness for graduate school, & iii) contact details for references who can be reached. Visit www.coleensuckling.co.uk for more details.