Join Our Team

The latest opportunities to join the W.A.D.E. Lab,

and advice for prospective students.

Research Opportunities

MSc student research opportunity starting Autumn 2027

We are excited to announce a new MSc opportunity in the University of Washington’s Whale and Dolphin Ecology Lab, led by PI Amy Van Cise, focused on advancing eDNA methods for studying humpback whales. This research has three major objectives:

Develop new laboratory and data analysis methods for humpback whale abundance estimation using eDNA.
Develop new laboratory and data analysis methods to assess humpback whale population structure using eDNA.
Map the summer distribution and density of humpback whale populations in coastal Washington waters.

Under the guidance of the WADE Lab and project collaborators at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center, the student will lead the development and use of a new qPCR assay, develop a model describing the relationship between humpback whale DNA and humpback whale group size, prepare and sequence mtDNA metabarcoding libraries, use mtDNA haplotype frequencies to describe population structure, and develop spatial models characterizing the summertime distribution of humpback whales off the coast of Washington state.

The ideal candidate will have a combination of prior experience in a genetics laboratory (including familiarity with DNA extraction and PCR methods) and prior experience using the R coding platform for statistical data analyses. Currently, the position does not include field work.

The position includes 3 years of guaranteed funding from a combination of RA and TA positions, with the potential for additional funding to grow the research objectives. Funding includes full tuition as well as a monthly stipend + benefits package.

If you are interested, please apply to the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences graduate program and send me a copy of your application materials. I will review all materials carefully and reach out to the top candidates passing review by the SAFS admissions committee. Please note that I will not be able to meet with applicants before all applications are reviewed by the SAFS admissions committee – while I wish that I could meet with all applicants to my lab, I receive many more requests than I am able to accommodate and try to remain equitable in my review of application materials.

Postdoctoral research opportunity starting Winter 2026

We are excited to announce a new opening for a Postdoctoral Scholar who will lead an innovative, multi-disciplinary study investigating the ecological drivers of southern resident killer whale (SRKW) habitat use. The successful candidate will leverage existing environmental DNA (eDNA) samples, oceanographic data, and passive acoustic data to improve ecosystem-based assessments of SRKW habitat use and characterize prey communities.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Kim Parsons (NOAA NWFSC) and Dr. Amy Van Cise (UW SAFS). Primary responsibilities include expanding bioinformatic approaches to process eDNA metabarcoding and qPCR datasets, quantifying fish prey community composition, and mapping predator-prey distributions against oceanographic variables to inform management actions to support the recovery of the endangered SRKWs. Multi-modal datastreams will further be used to develop a unified statistical detection model for killer whales, integrating eDNA concentrations, passive acoustic detection rates, and visual sightings to establish a monitoring index for coastal continental shelf waters. The successful candidate will lead peer-reviewed publications, participate in monthly science meetings and present research findings, both formally and informally.

Follow this link for position details and instructions on how to apply.

Advice for Prospective Students

So you want to pursue a graduate degree, and you've landed here. Welcome! I'm so glad you're considering my lab and the University of Washington.

I accept students through the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences. I am interested in working with students with a demonstrated interest in marine mammal evolution, ecology, and conservation, as well as genomic research techniques. This page is always up-to-date with all current funding opportunities available in my lab. If you are interested in one of the opportunities listed on this page, please send me an email that includes (1) your CV; (2) a statement of your research experience and interests, your skills related to the position you are interested in, and your career goals; and (3) your unofficial transcript.

If no positions are listed on this page then I do not currently have funding to support students. If I do not have funding - or you are not interested in the specific projects I have listed - but you would still like to pursue a graduate degree in my lab, you will be responsible for finding funding (through grants or fellowships) to support your graduate research. If this is your goal, you can send me an email that includes (1) your CV; (2) a detailed description of your proposed graduate research project and plans to fund that project; (3) a statement of your research experience and career goals; and (4) your unofficial transcript.

As much as I would like to meet with all of the prospective students who contact me, I get many more such requests than I can accommodate. I try to remain as equitable as possible by refraining from meeting with prospective students until after the UW admissions process is completed. I will, however, read each email I receive carefully. If your background and experience fit well into the research goals and culture of my lab, I will respond to encourage you to apply.

I am deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field, so students who contribute to our variety of backgrounds, opinions, and approaches are especially welcome. In particular, I encourage you to contact me if you are a first-generation college student or a student from a low-income background, if you are a member of a racial or ethnic minority, if you identify as a woman or as LGBTQIA2+, or if you have a disability. UW is a great place for people who are historically underrepresented in the sciences, with many support resources across campus.

Before you get started, I offer a bit of advice. Graduate school is a big commitment, a sacrifice of both time and money, and does not come with a guarantee of a better job upon completion. You will be asked to dedicate many years of your life to a niche research topic with singular focus. You will spend the majority of your time studying, in a lab, or in front of a computer. You will be expected to independently learn many complex aspects of research - and you will spend hours struggling along the way to gaining that new knowledge. Before committing to this, be very sure that this type of dedicated research is how you want to spend your time. Choose this path knowing that it is a labor of love.

The best way to gain more insight into your long-term career goals, and how a MSc or PhD might advance those goals, is to take time off after undergraduate school to figure things out (see my story). Try working in a lab, or gaining some field experience through seasonal field research opportunities. Read the literature broadly, both scientific and non-scientific. I highly recommend Robert Peters’ Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning an MA or a PhD for folks considering grad school and for those who are already there. Steven Campana’s 2018 article, “Twelve easy steps to embrace or avoid scientific petrification,“ contains lots of good advice for aspiring scientists. Seek out advice and guidance from those who have pursued graduate research. Along the way, take note of what excites you.

Don't be afraid to invest in your future happiness - it inevitably leads to future productivity, as well. When you have a clear idea of (1) your specific research and training goals during graduate school, and (2) your long-term goals after completing a degree, graduate school will still be there waiting for you.

General advice for prospective students

I receive a high volume of requests for research opportunities and guidance on how to apply for graduate school. I wish that I could respond thoughtfully to all of these requests, but there is not enough time in the day. If you are a student who is considering graduate school and looking for general advice on the application process or the graduate school experience, these resources may be helpful to you:

How to become a marine mammal scientist - from the Society for Marine Mammalogy Education Committee
Marine Mammal Commission Career Resources page
American Society of Mammalogists' Career Resources page

You may also be interested in joining these networks:

Society for Marine Mammalogy Student Chapters
MARMAM listserv - a professional network of over 15,000 marine mammal researchers worldwide. Research opportunities are often posted here.