Responsibilities: We are seeking an enthusiastic PhD student to conduct research aimed at estimating the quantity and quality of American Shad spawning habitat in the Santee Basin using both active and passive telemetry. Responsibilities will include leading a field crew conducting boat electrofishing, American Shad telemetry, and habitat surveys; geospatial and statistical analyses; writing a research proposal, dissertation, and technical reports; and completing coursework pursuant to a PhD degree. The candidate will work closely with a large group of university, private, and agency collaborators. The student will work towards a PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology at Clemson University (Wildlife and Fisheries Biology (MWFR, M.S., Ph.D.) (clemson.edu)). Clemson University (http://www.clemson.edu/about/) is a public land-grant Carnegie R1 Research University in a college town atmosphere on Lake Hartwell, South Carolina within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Students will be based on main campus and will conduct field work in the Santee Basin, South Carolina. Transportation and housing will be provided during field work.

Candidates must have:
·         A MS degree in fisheries, ecology, biology, or equivalent

·         Competitive practical experience in fish/stream/freshwater research

·         Demonstrated excellence in written, verbal, and quantitative skills

·         A valid US driver’s license

Ideal candidates will have some combination of experience in:
·         Leading and working in field crews under adverse conditions

·         Boat electrofishing and telemetry

·         Habitat suitability modeling

·         Habitat surveys

·         Fish ecology

·         Working with staff from agencies, nongovernmental organizations, landowners, etc.

·         Analysis using R software, GIS, etc.

·         Scientific writing and communication

Compensation:
·         $30,000 per year for 5 years

·         Position includes full tuition waiver and eligibility for university health benefits package.

Start date:

August 2026 or Spring 2027

Application deadline:

Application reviews will begin on May 31st. The position will remain open until filled.

To apply: please send applications to Drs. Luke Bower (lmbower@clemson.edu) and  Troy Farmer (tmfarme@clemson.edu) with the subject “PhD application: Habitat Modeling”. Packets should include in a single PDF 1) a cover letter describing your interest in the project and career goals, 2) your CV, including at least 3 references, and 3) unofficial transcripts. The GRE is not required for admission to Clemson or to work with our team, but applicants may also include GRE scores if they think it will improve their packet.