POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER (PostDoc_ARENA) Analysis of antibiotics in aquaculture systems

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JOB

Job location: ICRA – Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain

Number of positions available: 1

Expected start: July 2022

Temporal position. The position is for 12 months (possibility of extension)

Gross Annual Salary package: 20.000-27.999 € based on the merits

JOB PURPOSE / PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Research Area at ICRA: Water Quality

Project: ARENA - Antibiotic REsistaNce and Pathogenic Signature in Marine and Freshwater Aquaculture Systems is an European JPI project with a duration of 3 years (2021-2024).

The project aims to improve the evaluation of aquaculture practices and products by exploring the fate of antibiotic and microbial contaminants across the water cycle. Contamination levels will be assessed from sources (effluents, river outflows) to end points (aquaculture plants) and final food products (e.g., fish fillets), along with the antibiotic resistome and pathogenic signature in farm surrounding aquatic environments in open (i.e., mariculture) and recirculating aquaculture systems (i.e., RAS). Novel early-warning tools for the rapid detection of antibiotic residues, antibiotic-resistance genes and microbial pathogens (sensor-based) in environmental and biological samples will be optimized. ARENA will contribute to elucidate the significance of antibiotic related issues, finally providing a cross-disciplinary approach for risk assessment and future operative efforts to mitigate the magnification of antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity in aquaculture settings

https://www.icra.cat/projects/arena-antibiotic-resistance-pathogenic-signature/199

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The researcher will evaluate the presence of selected antibiotics as well as their transformation products in environmental samples in real case studies throughout aquaculture facilities.

The tasks to be accomplished by the postdoc fellow involve:

• Upgrade of analytical protocols based on Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for the analysis of selected antibiotics in water, sediments and biota
• Designing of sampling campaigns and organization of sampling and sample preparation in collaboration with other partners
• Monitoring of antibiotics in the aquaculture system and evaluation of their fate and impact in the environment
• Participation in project meetings, writing of protocols, scientific reports and scientific papers.
• As with all technicians, PhD students and postdoctoral fellows a small proportion of the time will be allocated to communal services such as joint laboratory maintenance etc.