The Muthukrishnan Lab at Indiana University is looking to hire for the following position:

Aquatic invasive species summer research technician

Agency: Indiana UniversityÃf¢ÒÂEURÃ’Â(tm)s Environmental Resilience Institute

Pay:    $12/hour ($440/week up to ~20 weeks)

Hours:  40 hours/week, May through September

Location:       Based in Bloomington, Indiana with frequent multi-day travel between Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota- lodging and meals (per-diem) are covered while traveling

The summer research technician will assist in the fieldwork component of a project studying starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) invasions across a gradient of climates throughout the Midwest. Starry stonewort is a relatively new invasive aquatic alga that has been found in lakes around the Great Lakes. We will be conducting ecological surveys to help understand the effect starry stonewort is having on native communities in lakes.

Summer field technicians will be expected to help in the day to day fieldwork, including:

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Driving small watercraft

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Assisting divers from the boat or diving (if SCUBA certified)

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Collecting data in the field

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Identifying aquatic plants and sorting them

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Driving between field sites

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Technicians should be comfortable lifting 50+lbs and working long hours outside in all types of weather

Ideal qualifications and skills:

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Pursuing or have completed a degree in Biology, Ecology, Limnology, Environmental Sciences, or a related field

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    SCUBA certification (preferred)

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Boating experience- trailering and driving a boat (preferred)

Ãf¢ÒÂEURÒ¢    Aquatic plant ID/experience identifying plants or experience using ID guides

This is a seasonal position, with no benefits, and an ideal start date in late April or early May. We will be traveling for long periods of time with multiple days off in between. Food and lodging costs will be covered during any research travel.

Due to COVID-19, travel plans are subject to change. The ideal candidate will be expected to follow proper precautions while traveling for work (wearing masks and staying distanced while indoors), and we as a team will be limiting time indoors as much as possible (ordering takeout instead of eating in etc.).

To apply, please email Carolyn Kalinowski at ckalino@iu.edu with a resume or CV and contact information for two references in a single PDF document. In your email, please state your availability for start/end dates. Also feel free to reach out with any questions about the position.

The Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Center at NC State is now recruiting PhD students for our third and final cohort of students for the graduate training program in Agricultural Biotechnology in our evolving Food, Energy, and Water Systems (AgBioFEWS). This interdisciplinary, NSF-funded program is focused on biological and societal aspects of biotech/synbio in agriculture. Applicants from a wide range of disciplines—including the humanities, natural, and social sciences—as well as national and international students, are strongly encouraged to apply. You can get a feel for the program by going to our website, where you can also check out the profiles of our first and second cohorts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are recruiting AgBioFEWS Fellows this fall/winter for two years of AgBioFEWS classroom courses and field activities scheduled to begin August 2022. The application deadline is 2/1/21. (Note: Admitted students can begin their PhD work at NC State in August 2021 while engaging in our weekly seminar series). The best applicants often come from referrals, and we would just ask you to take a moment to think about whether you know someone who might want to apply. If so, please forward the announcement below and put them in touch with the Program Coordinator, Dawn Rodriguez-Ward (dtward2@ncsu.edu).