The Gratton Lab in the Entomology Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is now accepting applications for full-time seasonal field positions to begin around June 3, 2019 and continue for 12 to 16 weeks. Our lab studies the links between insects, landscapes, and their conservation in support of healthy ecosystems and human well being. Specific projects are listed below, though assistants may work across multiple projects.
Available positions:
Undergraduate summer assistants (multiple available)
Pay rate: $10/hour
Start date/duration: Full-time seasonal position for ~12 weeks between June and August
Field technician (multiple available, undergraduate degree required)
Pay rate: $14/hr
Start date/duration: Full-time seasonal position for ~12-16 weeks between May and September
Job responsibilities: Field technicians and summer assistants will work with graduate students and staff scientists to conduct field work, collect and process data, and maintain equipment. Some projects may require long hours or weekend work. All positions will be based out of Madison, WI, with frequent travel around southern Wisconsin.
Requirements:
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· Valid
· US driver’s license and ability to obtain driver authorization from UW Risk Management. (http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/risk_mgt/drivetable.html)
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· Attention
· to detail and ability to stay focused on tedious or repetitive tasks
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· Coursework
· or interest in ecology, biology, entomology, or related fields
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· Ability
· to work independently and with others
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· Experience
· with or willingness to learn insect handling and processing techniques
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· Enjoy
· being outside, comfortable working in hot/humid conditions.
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Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. Our lab aims to make science and ecology more inclusive of people of all identities, and we strongly encourage people of color, and people of all genders, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds to apply. See our full equity and inclusion statement on our website: http://gratton.entomology.wisc.edu/equity-inclusion-statement/
Reviews of applications will beginning on March 11, 2019 on a rolling basis. To apply, please visit our website or this link: https://go.wisc.edu/318m8e.If you have any questions or have trouble submitting using the form, please contact Jeremy Hemberger (hemberger@wisc.edu).
Overview of projects: For more project information visit gratton.entomology.wisc.edu/summer-2019
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· Monarch
· landscape ecology – How do local and landscape-level characteristics
· influence monarch use of a patch of milkweed? Daily surveys of 1-2 prairie/grassland sites per day for monarchs, milkweed, and blooming plants.
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· Pollinator
· conservation (NRCS) – Evaluating the effects of prairie restoration
· variability
· and their location in a landscape on bumble bee abundance and diversity.
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· Urban
· bumble bees – We will capture and identify bumble bees across a
· range of landscape types to understand how urbanization impacts their populations. Our team will survey prairies, suburban neighborhoods, and city blocks as well as discuss related scientific papers, prepare field equipment, and begin preliminary data analysis.
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· Pollinator
· habitat value (DATCP) – Investigating the value of pollinator habitat
· to crop pollination and yield on small, mixed vegetable farms. We will do pollinator observations and collect fruit for seed counts and yield measurements.
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· Effectiveness
· of pollinator plantings – We will survey wild bees in cucumber
· fields and field-edge flower plantings to understand how planting effectiveness varies in different landscapes. Duties will include: observational pollinator surveys, flower surveys, and pollen deposition experiments. Living in a rural cabin for several weeks
· will be necessary.
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· Honey
· bee landscape ecology – Studying how habitat in the surrounding
· landscape influences the health and survival of commercial honey bee hives. We will visit commercial bee yards across southwest Wisconsin to extract data from in-hive sensors and take measurements of hive health. Beekeeping experience preferred but not required.
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· Lady
· beetle (“ladybug”) landscape ecology – Researching
· how resource continuity in the landscape affect lady beetle abundance, health, and biocontrol potential. We will conduct surveys on farms and in natural sites across southern Wisconsin.
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· Citizen
· science specialist – Working with farmers of pollinator-dependent
· crops to establish a citizen-science program using a Smartphone app to measure wild pollinator communities (bachelor’s degree required).
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Erin Lowe
MSc Candidate, Agroecology and Entomology
Gratton Lab, University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://gratton.entomology.wisc.edu/