The Great Basin Institute is a nonprofit organization that specializes in

conservation and restoration all throughout the West. We are currently

hiring for over 60 paid positions ranging from ecological monitoring,

wildlife monitoring, trail maintenance, range land management, and fuels

reduction. Follow the link below to learn more and see all of our open

positions!

The National Research Traineeship (NRT) funded by the National Science Foundation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is seeking master’s and Ph.D. students for interdisciplinary training and study focused on understanding the resilience of agro-ecosystems, particularly the Platte River Basin. The basin, which originates in Wyoming and Colorado and drains through Nebraska, is one of the world’s most productive and efficient agricultural systems, not only supporting agriculture but also meeting the needs of industry and wildlife and for recreation and drinking water. Around the world, such competing demands on water resources, and external threats such as climate change and competition for land, make it increasingly critical to have the best and clearest scientific information to resolve complex food, energy, water, and ecosystem services problems. UNL’s NRT is training the next generation of natural and social scientists, computer and biological systems engineers, managers, and policymakers by increasing understanding and designing infrastructure that leads to a knowledge of how resilience is generated in complex systems of people and nature. The NRT provides cross-disciplinary academic and experiential training for a diverse group of graduate students in natural, social, and computational sciences. Students will receive their graduate degree from their home departments—such as the School of Natural Resources, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the Biological Systems Engineering Department, the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, or the Department of Political Science—and meet in the NRT laboratory for special trainings and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Students will participate in externships and workshops, engaging with partners from the agricultural industry, state and federal government, and private organizations interested in maintaining the resilience of healthy agro-ecosystems. Students will use resilience and panarchy theory, adaptive management, data science, novel sensing technologies and modeling, and policy interventions. They will help develop innovative tools for collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing data needed to make management and policy decisions. Students will collaborate with other NRTs and the Delft Institute for Water Education, traveling to the Netherlands to compare the agro-ecosystem of the Platte River Basin to those in Western Europe. They will have written a research paper or produced a product by the culmination of their program.

Annual stipends are $34,000 for master’s students (two-year maximum) and $36,000 for Ph.D. students (three-year maximum), along with health insurance and remission of tuition and selected university fees. Indigenous People and domestic students from other minority groups underrepresented in the sciences are especially encouraged to apply. International students are not eligible for this traineeship.

To apply, please email the following to Ronica Stromberg, Program Coordinator, at rstromberg3@unl.edu:

• Curriculum vitae

• Statement or letter of interest

• GRE or GMAT scores

• Academic transcripts

• UNL department in which you would plan to use the graduate school tuition benefit

For more information, email Ms. Stromberg or see https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnrt.unl.edu&data=02%7C01%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7Cd3a7e81b68d54ebb29dd08d6aea7e6e9%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636888433521388249&sdata=VbyYWCQcPrN2fI22%2FcfkRFQRFVSoxUrG2tqGzB1LcaI%3D&reserved=0.

Deadline for applications: March 29, 2019

Start date: August 1, 2019

are seeking undergraduates or college graduates who are interested in ecological research, are detail-oriented, enjoy working outdoors as part of a team, and can live cooperatively with others. The positions will be associated with Gary Belovsky’s long-term (30+ years) experimental project in Montana grasslands (NSF: LTREB).  This study uses field experiments to understand how food and predators influence grasshopper behavior and ecology in combination with varying climate.  Field assistants will help with the field portion of this project on the National Bison Range, Moiese, MT.

JOB DESCRIPTION: The position is 90% + fieldwork.  Paid research assistants will help set up (assemble experiments, catch grasshoppers and stock experiments), monitor, and take down experiments.  Daily work will include monitoring grasshopper densities in the experiments, maintaining experimental cages, and sampling vegetation and soils.  Assistants will gain experience with a wide variety of ecological field techniques, including insect enclosures, quantification of herbivore damage and plant growth, and grasshopper behavior.  Assistants also will learn relevant principles of experimental and sampling design in field ecology, as well as identification of key insects and plants in Palouse Prairie grasslands.

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. enrolled in or graduated from a program in ecology, biology, entomology, conservation biology or related field (or equivalent combination of training and experience), 2. ability to learn identification of grasshoppers and prairie flora, including grasses, quickly, 3. the ability to deal with a flexible work schedule (i.e., work around weather conditions and phenology of grasshoppers), 4. demonstrated ability to work independently and with other crew members in a professional manner while maintaining a positive and safe work environment, 5. valid Driver’s License.

APPLICATION DETAILS: 2 positions: One position starts May 15 and ends September 30, 2019.  Second position starts Aug 5 and ends Sept 30, 2019. Shared housing is provided near the research site.

For full consideration, apply by April 5, 2019 (closing date is April 15, 2019). Please send cover letter, resume and contact information for 3 references (name, position, phone, e-mail) to Jennifer Belovsky (belovsky.2@nd.edu).

Hiring is through the University of Notre Dame.  The University of Notre Dame is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

For more information visit the Belovsky labpage – – https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbelovskylab.nd.edu&data=02%7C01%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7Cd3a7e81b68d54ebb29dd08d6aea7e6e9%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636888433521428278&sdata=6KsbZv0asiiHfF1r9hX3the9H%2Fd517qOvMuvYGNVzv4%3D&reserved=0

Gary Belovsky in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame is seeking applicants for an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) position in summer 2019 to study insect ecology.

The REU student will be part of a research team examining grasshopper ecology in western Montana, at the National Bison Range National Wildlife Refuge in Moiese, Montana.  Potential projects for the REU include examining grasshopper population dynamics or species interactions (competition, predation, etc).

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with a solid academic record, and a strong interest in field ecology.  The REU will be working as part of a team, which can include working outside for long periods in unpredictable weather and conditions, and which requires the ability to work independently as well as contribute to a positive group dynamic.

The duration of the study is from May 20 to August 10 (twelve weeks), although the dates are somewhat flexible. The REU student will receive a stipend. Also, research supplies, lodging, and travel to/from Montana will be provided.

Review of applications will begin as applications are received and continue until filled. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must be enrolled as an undergraduate for Fall 2019. Students from underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines are particularly encouraged to apply.

To apply, please e-mail the following application materials to Jennifer Belovsky

(belovsky.2@nd.edu) with the subject line “REU” preferably by April 5, 2019:

1.  Statement/cover letter explaining the following:

•why you are interested in this position

•what are your future plans

•dates you are available to start and end this position

•confirm eligibility for the REU program

•your e-mail address and phone number

2.  Resume

3. Names and contact information for two people who can serve as your references

For more information please contact:

Jennifer Belovsky

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Notre Dame

belovsky.2@nd.edu

Position: MS Graduate Research Assistantship: Trophic cascades in longleaf pine woodlands.

Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and the Jones Center at Ichauway, Newton, GA

Description: We seek a highly motivated student to fill a MS assistantship in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. Field work will be conducted at the Jones Center at Ichauway, a 29,000 acre private preserve in southwest Georgia. Further information can be found on the web site at https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.jonesctr.org&data=02%7C01%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7Cd3a7e81b68d54ebb29dd08d6aea7e6e9%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C636888433521408264&sdata=eeTsWpC0Eik22IgeDE32iI4ikOzBiD3OWzTD1kWDFX4%3D&reserved=0. The successful applicant will investigate trophic cascades from a long-term (~15 year) predator exclosure experiment. Large-scale experimental treatments have increased deer abundance, altered deer behavior, and increased browsing pressure on understory plants.  The goals of this study are to explore and quantify the primary plant community and/or population responses to long-term increases in browsing pressure. Primary response variables of interest may include plant community shifts, plant morphological adaptations, and/or plant physiological changes related to carbon allocation strategies. Opportunities to incorporate the effects of prescribed fire and post-Hurricane Michael disturbance effects may also exist. The work may include both descriptive plant data and additional manipulative components related to herbivory. Supporting data from a long-term deer and predator population monitoring program will be available.

Qualifications: Applicants must hold a BS in Ecology, Biology, Wildlife, or a related field, have a GPA of 3.0 or greater, and competitive GRE scores.

Applicants must be highly motivated, have excellent written and oral communication skills, and be capable of working independently as well as managing a large field team. The successful candidate must be willing to conduct sometimes strenuous physical activity under demanding field conditions (i.e., heat, high humidity, and insects). The most qualified applicants will be integrative thinkers who are interested in testing novel linkages using data from diverse sub-disciplines within ecology and wildlife management. Experience programming in R, or similar language, and conducting community analyses is a plus.  The student will receive a MS in Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter describing research experience and interests, CV, transcripts, GRE scores, and contact information of three references to both Dr. Michael Cherry (mjcherry@vt.edu) and Dr. Steven Brantley (steven.brantley@jonesctr.org) with MS Application in the subject line.

Salary: Competitive stipend, plus tuition and benefits.

Start-Date: May 2019 preferred start at Jones Center with August start date at VT.

I am seeking a highly motivated M.S. student to join the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida, starting fall 2019 (August). This student will join a research team working with Dr. Holly Ober and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to learn about the enigmatic Florida bonneted bat, Eumops floridanus. This federally endangered species is endemic to south Florida, and believed to have the most limited geographic distribution of any bat in the US. Very little is currently known about its foraging and roosting ecology. The student will examine foraging and roosting habitat selection patterns of bonneted bats, examining effects of Everglades hydrological restoration efforts on the species. The candidate should have an interest in acoustical survey methods, and must be willing to work unusual hours in the field as the biology of the species demands.

Required credential include a B.S. in wildlife, ecology, natural resource conservation, environmental studies, or a related field; strong quantitative skills and demonstrated writing ability; competitive GPA and GRE scores. Applicants should be willing to work independently and as part of a team, have experience conducting acoustic surveys, experience with GIS, field experience handling bats and extracting them from mist nets, and the ability to withstand demanding south Florida field conditions.

If interested, send (1) a cover letter briefly describing your research interests, career goals, and why you would like to pursue a graduate degree; (2) a resume; (3) unofficial copies of GRE scores and academic transcripts; and (4) name, phone number and email address of 3 references. There is no need to pursue the official application process through the university until candidate selection is complete.

Benefits include tuition, stipend, health insurance, and field expenses for two years from the date of hire. Review of applications will begin immediately. For more information, contact Dr. Holly Ober, University of Florida; holly.ober@ufl.edu.

Job Description: The Jones Center at Ichauway invites applications for two Seasonal Technician positions. We will be filling two 3 month positions beginning in May 2019, with the possibility of extension to 6 months. The worker will assist in all aspects of an NSF-funded study to assess the ecological effects of Hurricane Michael on longleaf pine woodlands. A large portion of time will be spent in the field, where activities will include forest mensuration, vegetation classification, coarse woody debris sampling, and use of GPS equipment. The worker will also be involved with data entry and other duties as required.

Location: The 29,000 acre research center is located approximately 30 miles south of Albany, Georgia. The Center’s research, education, and conservation programs focus on ecology and natural resource management. The site includes 16,000 acres of longleaf pine woodlands, over 1,000 acres of wetlands and 26 miles of two stream and river ecosystems.  For more information visit our web site: https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fjones_center&data=02%7C01%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7C663dd7ff46f4430225ec08d6ad15d5bc%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C1%7C636886706644049705&sdata=92UkqmgMJg0fWOEISlP6IrSnLkYEvgMJW3zSEoepx%2F8%3D&reserved=0.

Job Requirements: Ability to conduct physical activity in the field under a variety of weather conditions, to follow instructions with attention to detail, and work well within small groups.  Computer experience is required, and familiarity or experience with southeastern vegetation and plant communities is desirable. GIS experience is a plus.

Qualifications:  B.S. degree preferred. Minimum A.S. degree or substantial progress toward a B.S. degree in forestry, conservation biology, ecology, or related field.

Salary:   $9.00 to 11.00 per hour with housing

                              $10.00 to 12.00 per hour without housing

Rate depends on qualifications.

Limited on-site housing is available on a space-available basis.

To Apply: A letter of application, resume, college transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable) and a list of references should be sent via email to: jobs@jonesctr.org AND steven.brantley@jonesctr.org; Subject: Hurricane Michael Seasonal Technician (please use exact wording in subject line, otherwise your application may be overlooked). For additional information regarding the position contact Steven Brantley (steven.brantley@jonesctr.org).  Applications received by April 14th will receive highest consideration.

The Jones Center at Ichauway is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/E-Verify Employer.  Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

Fisheries Research Technicians (3)

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Oregon State University, Corvallis

Description

Successful applicants will conduct surveys for adult Chinook mortalities in the upper Willamette River Valley. Tasks include hiking long distances through rugged terrain, wading in flowing water over slippery surfaces, locating dead or severely compromised Chinook Salmon, conducting field necropsies, preserving tissue samples, collecting and processing of water samples for eDNA, collecting habitat and water quality data, data entry, the operation of vehicles, and kayaking. Additional duties may also include assisting cooperating agencies with adult Chinook salmon trapping, processing, and outplanting activities.

Qualifications

The successful applicant should be highly motivated and have or be in pursuit of a B.S. in fisheries, aquatic ecology, biology, zoology or closely related field. Applicants must be able to work in remote areas for extended periods with limited cell phone access; in excellent physical health and be able to work under challenging conditions, work well in a team environment; and be in possession a valid driver’s license. Familiarity with fish physiology, sampling/data recording techniques.

Salary

$17-$20 hour, depending on qualifications

Duration

The position will start approximately 30 April 2019 and continue to approximately 1 October 2019.

Location

Principal duty station will be located at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Oregon State University, Corvallis with daily travel to survey sites. Successful candidates also may be required to travel and stay overnight to accomplish project objectives.

Contact

Applications should include: cover letter, resume, and transcripts (unofficial or official). Please include contact information for three professional (academic or work) references on your resume. Applications should be submitted by email no later than 5:00 PM PST on 30 March 2019 to:

James Peterson

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Oregon State University, Corvallis

jt.peterson@oregonstate.edu

The Mitchell Lab at UNC Chapel Hill is hiring field technicians for the 2019 field season! Apply to work on a grant-funded project examining the role of the plant microbiome in pathogen transmission.

About the position:

Most work will be performed in the field, but may occasionally include lab work.

  *   Conduct vegetation surveys, manage collected data

  *   Collect plant and fungal samples from field

  *   Culture fungal pathogens from infected plant material

Job duration: 6 months, starting mid-May into June

Work hours: 40hr/wk, Mon – Fri, 7-4p

Hourly rate: $12.75 – $14.25/hr

Housing and moving expenses not provided

Required Qualifications:

a) A valid driver’s license and personal mode of transportation to an off-campus field site

b) Willingness and ability to work early mornings and outdoors in summer heat, inclement weather, and around insects

c) Ability to work well independently and with a team, pay attention to detail, and maintain exceptional communication with other members of the team.

To Apply and view the complete job posting, please visit unc.peopleadmin.com and reference position S014268. EOE.

For questions, please contact:

Brooklynn Newberry

Lab Manager, Mitchell Lab

bnewberry@unc.edu