Job title
Postdoctoral Researcher in Fish Welfare in Aquaculture.
Company
Fish Etho Group.
Description of the job
The Fish Etho Group is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join the team for a two-year fixed-term contract. The successful candidate will perform research in aquaculture and fish ethology, within the remit of the European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare. The role involves developing indicators for negative affective states in fish and evaluating environmental enrichment strategies to promote positive welfare in sustainable aquaculture systems.
The Fish Etho Group is a non-profit association bridging the gaps between science and the stakeholders in the aquaculture sector: producers, certifiers, retailers, NGOs, policy makers and consumers. The organisation's goal is to study and improve the welfare of farmed fishes and other aquatic animals by applying ethological scientific knowledge into best practices in fish farming and fisheries. The institution is among the top international centres performing research in the field of fish welfare.
This position is exclusively focused on aquatic species (including seabream, seabass and eventually other species). The researcher will split their time between two complementary projects:
Project 1: Novel Measures for Negative Affective States in Fish
- Developing animal-based measures (ABMs) for Pain & Discomfort: Investigate behavioural, affective and physiological responses to nociceptive stimuli and management stressors such as handling, vaccination, and transport for seabream and seabass, including validating indicators during preslaughter processes.
- Assessing Chronic Low Arousal (Boredom) & Fear: Compare behaviour in barren versus enriched tanks to identify indicators of boredom and apathy. Evaluate fear and frustration responses to overcrowding and stocking density stress using markers such as cortisol, oxygen consumption, and molecular profiling.
- Health Interrelationships: Study the impact of negative affective states on immune function, including resistance to pathogens and resilience under aggressive environmental contexts.
Project 2: Promoting Positive Welfare in Aquaculture
- Assist on the management and execution of empirical studies in aquaculture context, testing Environmental Enrichment (EE) strategies (physical, sensory, dietary, cognitive or social) in lab scale, net-pen or tank-based systems.
- Assess the implementation potential of these practices by measuring animal welfare (behaviour, cognition, stress tolerance), and commercial feasibility in European context.
- Collaborate with focus groups of farmers and experts to identify barriers and opportunities for implementing monitoring systems and EE in EU aquaculture contexts.
- Investigate how enriched rearing conditions may improve thermal resilience and stress tolerance in the face of climate change.
What the Organisation Offers:
- Integration into a consortium of 21 leading Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) with specific expertise in fish welfare who are part of the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare.
- The opportunity to contribute to high-impact deliverables, including top rank scientific papers, best practice guidelines for transport and stunning, and training materials for fish welfare assessment.
- Access to training courses and exchange missions to other partner institutions to foster career development.
- Possibility to apply for research projects and pursue own research interests when aligned with FEG's mission and vision.
- Possibility to extend the contract, providing that new funding applications are successful.
- Assistance with relocation (if necessary).
- A collaborative, trust-based, and outcome-oriented research environment that values autonomy, responsibility, and professional growth.
Requirements
Essential:
- A PhD in Aquaculture, Fish Ethology, Fish Physiology, or a related biological discipline.
- Knowledge of animal welfare science (the Five Domains, Nature/Function/Feelings based approaches, Operational definitions, etc).
- Demonstrated experience in fish welfare assessment, particularly regarding behavioural observation tools and physiological sampling.
- Knowledge of aquaculture production systems (e.g., RAS, net-pen, or earthen ponds) in Europe.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
- Ability to work independently.
Desirable:
- Experience with neuroendocrinology, molecular markers (omics), or sensor technology.
- Experience in conducting cognitive bias tests or vitality assessments in fish.
- Experience in stakeholder engagement and dialogue (e.g. training in industry environment; policy advice; NGO context).
Location
Faro, Portugal (CCMAR facilities, University of Algarve, Campus of Gambelas).
Salary
€33,000 - €45,000 gross yearly (TRU33–TRU49, depending on years after PhD completion), following the Portuguese public sector salary table.
How to apply
Applicants should send a CV (no longer than 3 pages, no photo required) and cover letter (maximum 1 page) to careers@fishethogroup.net. The cover letter should address: motivation to work in fish welfare, why the candidate believes they are well-suited for this position, and how their experience could contribute to the work and fish welfare in general. Applications that do not follow these guidelines will not be considered.
Deadline
28/02/2026.
Disclaimer
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