The State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science at Xiamen University (MEL) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the fields of marine environmental sciences and other interdisciplinary research that fits into MEL’s major research scopes, such as marine biogeochemistry, marine ecology, marine ecotoxicology, ocean dynamics, and observations.

Applicants should have obtained their PhD degree within the 3 years prior to application submission or have earned their degree within one year after acceptance into our program (in this case, related documents should be provided to prove eligibility).

The principal selection criteria for Fellows are scientific excellence and a clearly-stated research proposal featuring work at the forefront of marine environmental sciences. Applications from all related fields are welcomed.

Fellowships are supported for 24 months (extensions up to 36 months can be applied for), carries an annual salary of at least 240,000 RMB (before tax), and a travel fund of up to USD 2,000 to support attendance at an international meeting within the valid fellowship period. Excellent fellows may apply for faculty positions at Xiamen University.

  
 

The review process will be organized twice a year with submission deadlines on May 31st and October 31st.
To apply for the fellowship, read the instructions below and click the “Application From” link.

  
 
 

(1) Fellowships are supported institutionally for 24 months (extensions up to 36 months can be applied for), carries an annual salary of 240,000 RMB (before tax), and a travel fund of up to USD 2,000 within the valid fellowship period. Postdocs who have undertaken a project of Young Scientists Fund of NSFC can apply for extended funding if the project has not been completed by the time they have completed their postdoc. If applicants pass the annual assessment, they can obtain extended funding from MEL (80,000 RMB/year, up to the fourth year). In case of early departure or withdrawal, the fellowship will be terminated.

(2) Postdoctoral apartments on campus or rental allowance are provided.

(3) The children of fellows will enjoy the same privileges as those of Xiamen University faculty members in kindergarten and school registration.

(4) Postdocs will be given the titles of Assistant Research Fellow, Associate Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow during their stay at Xiamen University.

(5) Excellent postdocs can apply for faculty positions at Xiamen University.

 
   

(1) Applicants should possess sound ideological and political views as well as physical and mental health. Applicants should be no older than 35 years.

(2) Applicants should have obtained their PhD degree within the 3 years prior to application submission or have earned their degree within one year after acceptance into our program (in this case, related documents should be provided to prove eligibility).


Applications must be submitted online. Please visit https://melmeeting.xmu.edu.cn/fellowship/login.asp to apply. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page and click the "Application Form" button, which will direct you to the online application website.

 
   

(1) An updated Curriculum Vitae, including publication list.

(2) A personal statement and research proposal.

(3) Doctorate certificate (or documents which prove that you will be able to obtain a doctorate within one year after acceptance into our program).

(4) Contact information of at least three academic referees (one of them should be applicant’s PhD supervisor). MEL will contact referees for letters of recommendation.

(5) 1-2 publications.
 
 
     
 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact a host supervisor in advance to explore the possibility of collaboration as well as discuss your research interests. Information for scopes and associated leading PIs is available at https://mel.xmu.edu.cn/people/faculty.htm
 
 

Up to 10 fellowships will be awarded each year. However, only one fellowship will be awarded per PI regardless of the total number of postdocs he/she might have.


   

The following is a list of the approved projects for the 2023 MEL Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (direct enrollment). You are welcomed to contact other scientists not included in the list to inquire about more opportunities. More information can be found at: http://mel.xmu.edu.cn/people/faculty.htm

  1. Vulnerability of Coastal Wetland Ecosystems under the Synergistic Effects of Sea Level Rise and Biological Invasion (PI Dr. Luzhen Cheng)
  2. The coupled nitrogen-carbon cycling processes and controls on carbon sequestration in the mangrove-salt marsh-estuary system (PI Dr. Nengwang Chen)
  3. Coastal Urbanization and Social-Ecological Resilience  (PI Dr. Yangfan Li)
  4. Identification and quantification of primary phytoplankton functional types in the global oceans from hyperspectral ocean color remote sensing (PI Dr. Zhongping Li)
  5. WSSV infection and immune evasion (PI Dr. Haipeng Liu)
  6. Spatio-temporal variability of primary production and planktons and its driving mechanism in the euphotic zone of oligotrophic ocean (PI Dr. Shaoling Shang)
  7. Characterizing Biological Pterin in Coastal Waters (PI Dr. Deli Wang)
  8. Modeling the impact of iron cycle on the carbon fixation under climate change in the north Pacific Ocean (PI Dr. Peng Xiu)
 
     
 
 

There are two steps in the review process: the MEL committee panel review and expert interview and authorization by Xiamen University.
(1) Panel review and expert interview: MEL will set up a scientific committee to evaluate applications and proposals. Screened applicants will be invited for an interview with an ad hoc committee consisting of at least 9 experts. Successful candidates will be notified within one week after the interview. All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications.

Application and selection processes are strictly confidential and neither discussions of applications during the review nor information regarding unsuccessful applications are publicly released.
*Interview requirements:
Please prepare a 15-min presentation, which includes your previous research and accomplishments, and future research plan. There will also be a 15-min question and answer phase at the end.

(2) Approval by Xiamen University: The endorsed candidate list will be sent to the university’s Human Resource Office for final approval. Authorized fellowship awardees will be invited to follow the procedure and register at either the Marine Science Postdoctoral Research Center, the Environmental Science and Engineering Postdoctoral Research Center or the Ecology Postdoctoral Research Center at Xiamen University within a year and a half from the final approval date.

 
   

(1) It is the postdoctoral fellow’s obligation to go through  an annual review by giving a luncheon seminar to introduce their research progress and outcomes two months before their annual contract expires; fellowship holders are also required to share their research outcomes in another research seminar and provide a written report two months before the end of the valid fellowship period.

(2) Research results and outcomes under the MEL Outstanding Postdoctoral Fellowship must be published in internationally recognized and peer-reviewed scientific journals. An acknowledgment of support by MEL must be included in any publications resulting from work conducted under the Fellowship, including abstracts presented at any conference/congress/workshop (e.g., “This work was supported by the Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholarship from the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science at Xiamen University.”). Furthermore, a PDF file of each publication must be sent to the Administrative Office for archiving.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Contact: Program Secretary Ms. Junzi Chen
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Zhou Long Quan Building, Xiang'an Campus, Xiamen University Xiamen 361102, China
Tel: +86-592-2183099 • Fax: +86-592-2184101 • Email: melhr@xmu.edu.cn