JAE Intro 2026 Fellowship – JAEINT26_EX_0823: Trophic changes associated with marine protection: comparing diet and predator–prey interactions inside and outside Marine Protected Areas
- ICM-CSIC
- Barcelona, Spain
- 25/03/2026
Job Description
At iMARES (ICM‑CSIC), we offer a research internship for bachelor’s or master’s students interested in trophic ecology, conservation science and ecological data analysis. The project examines whether no‑take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) lead to measurable changes in the diet, trophic role and predator–prey interactions of selected fish species.
The study will compile and clean dietary and community datasets (stomach contents, stable isotopes, eDNA and visual surveys), and quantify differences in diet composition, niche breadth, trophic overlap and, when possible, trophic position inside versus outside MPAs. The student will follow a structured workflow that includes designing the comparative framework, computing trophic metrics, running statistical analyses, and generating reproducible outputs for management evaluation.
The internship provides training in R‑based ecological analysis, trophic metrics, reproducible workflows, database management, and complementary field or lab methods such as visual census and eDNA sampling.
Requirements:
-
University students in the final year of a bachelor’s degree or enrolled in an official master’s degree during the 2025–2026 or 2026–2027 academic year.
- Bachelor’s degree GPA: 7.5 or higher
Preferred qualifications:
- Fluency in English
-
Knowledge of R programming, trophic ecology or ecological data analysis.
-
Interest in conservation and Marine Protected Areas.
What We Offer:
- Duration & Weekly Hours: 7 months, 20 h/week
- Fellowship: 4,200€ (600€/month)
The principal investigator (IP) will be Cesc Gordó
Requests: https://sede.csic.gob.es/tramites/programa-jae/jae-intro-2026
Career level
Career options
