The Becker lab at the University of Alabama is seeking a highly motivated PhD or MS student to begin in Fall 2018.
Research will focus on the integrative mechanisms that underlie host- pathogen-microbiome interactions in amphibians. The student will conduct fieldwork and/or laboratory experiments in tropical and/or temperate systems to understand how environmental change and biotic forces impact the risk of chytridiomycosis in amphibians with aquatic larvae and direct development. Research will involve fungal culturing, molecular analyses of host skin microbiota, laboratory and field experiments, data management and analysis, manuscript preparation and submission, and animal care.
Applicants should have a background in many of the following: evolutionary and disease ecology, molecular techniques, statistics, GIS, and fieldwork under challenging environmental conditions. Successful applicants will demonstrate an ability to conduct independent field and laboratory research and to publish peer-reviewed journal articles.
All application materials should be completed online via the University of Alabama Graduate School application portal:https://graduate.ua.edu/prospective-students/
The position includes a full tuition waiver, a competitive 12-month stipend and health insurance. Funding is available as a Graduate Teaching Assistant through the Department of Biological Sciences. Highly qualified applicants may be considered for Graduate School Fellowships, which offer a Research Assistantship during the student’s first year. Funding for summer fieldwork expenses and conference attendance is available.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Additional information is available from the following links:
Dr. Gui Becker’s profile page: https://bsc.ua.edu/profiles/gui-becker/
Department of Biological Sciences: http://bsc.ua.edu/ Graduate School: http://graduate.ua.edu University of Alabama: http://www.ua.edu
Tuscaloosa: http://www.tuscaloosa.com/visitor-services
Outdoor opportunities in Alabama: http://www.outdooralabama.com