Postdoctoral Title: Unsupervised processing of pelagic fauna sonar observations across multiple ocean platforms.
Background: In recent years, France has been experiencing a growing number of sonar observations of pelagic fauna. In addition to numerous scientific surveys, routine EK80 data are collected during Oceanographic Fleet transits, moored time series, and observations from unmanned vehicles. In the coming years, data inflow will occur daily and from multiple platforms. In this context, at Ifremer we aim to develop automatic processing routines to handle data at the pace at which they are produced. These routines should include correction and cleaning of EK80 data artefacts, storage of results in standard formats, and transmission of lightweight ecological indicators to shore. For EK80 data cleaning, large expert-processed databases will be used to train a supervised model capable of identifying artefacts caused by rough sea conditions or interference. In addition, platform inertial measurement unit data will be exploited to determine the minimum sea-state conditions required before launching the processing routine.
Postdoctoral project: We are looking for a candidate interested in applying to the 2026 Ifremer postdoctoral call and motivated to submit a project aligned with the thematic area described above. Innovative proposals that bring new skills to Ifremer are highly valued. The project (3 pages max.) will be co-developed between the candidate and a hosting team at Ifremer, composed of researchers and engineers specialized in ecosystem and underwater acoustics. The project will also benefit from collaborations with colleagues from other national and international institutes with experience in large-scale acoustic data processing and curation. To be competitive in the call, the candidate must have demonstrated experience in signal and image processing, with a strong background in AI model training, big data analysis, and cloud processing. Although not mandatory, experience in underwater acoustics and oceanographic instrumentation would be advisable and highly advantageous. The duration is up to 3 years, the call deadline is 22 January 2026, and the contract may begin between June and November 2026.
Other requirements:
- The thesis must have been defended less than three years prior to the starting date of the future postdoctoral contract.
- Researchers may be of any nationality. They must not have resided or carried out their main activity in France for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before the call deadline (22 January 2026).
Information about the call and contract conditions:
Interested candidates are invited to contact Alejandro ARIZA (alejandro.ariza@ifremer.fr) with a summary of their CV and their vision for the project.
Please circulate this email within your professional networks.
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Alejandro ARIZA
Département Ecologie et Modèles pour l’Halieutique (EMH)
Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)
Rue de l’île d’Yeu
B.P. 21105
44311 Nantes Cedex 03
FRANCE
E-mail: alejandro.ariza@ifremer.fr
Téléphone: +33 2 40 37 41 64