SEASONAL FIELD TECHNICIAN POSITIONS: FOREST ECOLOGY Tyson Research Center Washington University in St. Louis
The Myers lab at Washington University in St. Louis (http://www.myersecologylab.com) seeks two seasonal field technicians to participate in two large-scale research projects at Washington University’s Tyson Research Center (http://tyson.wustl.edu): 1) a 35-year study of forest diversity and dynamics in a large-scale temperate forest plot that is part of the Smithsonian ForestGEO global network of forest research plots (http://www.forestgeo.si.edu); and 2) a landscape-scale experiment investigating the importance of plant functional traits in determining responses of plant diversity to environmental change (prescribed fire & soil-resource availability) and natural enemies (seed predators & herbivores). The technicians will develop skills and gain experience in: 1) field protocols for censuses of long-term forest plots, including plant identification, tree mapping, and measurements of growth and mortality; 2) data collection for large-scale field experiments, including surveys of plant community composition and functional traits across environmental gradients; 3) management of large data sets; and 4) mentoring of undergraduate and high school students in field research.
Position details: The positions are full-time, temporary positions (up to 6 months) with no benefits.
Wages will be commensurate with experience. The start dates are flexible, but ideally the positions would begin between April and May 2018. Successful applicants will need to secure their own housing in St. Louis or near Tyson Research Center (20 miles from campus). Located on the edge of the Ozarks ecoregion, Tyson Research Center is a 2000-acre field station dedicated to multi-scale research, teaching opportunities, and collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and levels of academic training.
Minimum requirements: Bachelors degree in a related field (e.g. biology, ecology, forestry) and experience in field research. Ideal candidates will have a strong interest in ecology, excellent teamwork skills, enjoy working outdoors under a range of conditions that include walking across steep terrain and hot/humid weather, and enthusiasm to learn new field skills.
To apply: Please combine the following into a single PDF file: 1) a cover letter describing your interest in this position, relevant past experience, start date availability, and contact information for three references including email addresses and phone numbers; and 2) a CV or resume. Application materials must be submitted electronically throughhttps://jobs.wustl.edu/ by entering the job ID number (39083) as a keyword under “Basic Search.” Review of applications will begin February 15 and continue until the positions are filled. Candidates are encouraged to e-mail Jonathan Myers (jamyers@wustl.edu) to indicate interest in the position as soon as possible using the subject line “Ecology Technician”.
Questions regarding the position can be directed to Jonathan Myers.