Subject: Opening: Research assistant in tidal wetland ecology at GW

I am searching for a full time research assistant to join my lab in summer
2018 to assist in the set-up, maintenance, and break down of wetland plant ecology field and greenhouse experiments and vegetation monitoring campaigns. The research assistant will help in other stages of research:
developing protocols, managing data, and processing plant and soil samples in the laboratory. The research assistant will prepare and run carbon and nitrogen analyses of plant tissue samples in the lab.

Requirements: Fieldwork can be physically taxing. Applicants must be able to hike to field sites, spend hours in hot and buggy conditions, and lift up to
50 lbs. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in ecology or a related science. Plant research experience is preferred, although training will be provided in plant identification and ecological and analytical methods.
Please describe relevant experience in your cover letter. Funding is available for 1 year with a competitive salary and benefits package. To apply to this opportunity, please submit an application prior to April 30:
http://www.gwu.jobs/postings/50556

The Gedan lab at The George Washington University investigates the response of coastal and marine species and ecosystems to global changes in climate, sea level, nutrient availability, and invasive species. We focus on conservation-priority, shallow, marine ecosystems, especially tidal marsh.
We are interested in marsh migration and the conversion of natural and human-dominated uplands, as well as the novel ecosystems and interactions occurring in transitioning coastal areas. Our team primarily relies upon an experimental approach in the greenhouse and the field. Established field sites are in the estuaries and coastal bays of the Mid-Atlantic. The lab is located in a newly constructed interdisciplinary science building in downtown Washington, DC, across the street from the Foggy Bottom Metro station.

The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Subject: Graduate Opportunity in Urban Forest Modeling

Dr. Christina Staudhammer in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alabama (http://cstaudhammer.people.ua.edu/) is now inviting applications for a PhD or MS position starting in spring 2019. The student will work on a project in urban forestry, partially funded by a grant from NSF-Ecosystems.
The benefits of urban forests to city-dwelling people include recreation, pollution, mitigation, energy savings, and water purification. However, fundamental questions still remain about the resistance and resilience of urban ecosystems to anthropogenic change, especially associated with projected alterations in global climate. Hurricane Irma, while destructive, created an opportunity to evaluate the impact of windstorms on urban forests. Utilizing pre- and post-storm field-measured and remotely sensed data, a student is sought to model the relationship between tree, landscape, and socioeconomic characteristics, storm variables, and urban forest damage.  This work will fill gaps in our knowledge about the ecosystem services provided by urban forests. The overarching goal is to enhance our scientific understanding of the role of urban forests at local to regional scales, and how they respond to disturbance.
It is expected that prospective graduate students will develop their own research plans and goals, and therefore should be self-motivated and independent. Students should be interested in combining ecology with statistical modeling. Students should have demonstrated experience in statistics, as well as a background forest ecology, geography, or environmental science. A solid working knowledge of SAS and/or R is required, and those with strong quantitative skills will be given preference.
This position is primarily a Teaching Assistantship, supplemented by grant funding. However students are expected to apply for additional funding.
Interested students will earn a graduate degree from the Department of Biological Sciences. The project will also offer the opportunity to interact with researchers from the USDA forest service, as well as researchers from the University of Florida and University of South Florida.
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, a college town of ~100,000, surrounded by extensive and varied forests. These forests, and the greater region, provide a wide range of recreational amenities including rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking and mountain biking.
To be eligible, students must meet the graduate admission requirements of the University of Alabama: an undergraduate GPA > 3.0 overall, 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours in a degree program or 3.0 for a completed graduate degree program, and a 300 on the GRE.  If interested, email a short summary of your research interests, an unofficial transcript from undergraduate (and post-graduate, if applicable) work, as well as a CV to Dr. Christina Staudhammer (cstaudhammer@ua.edu).

Subject: PhD Position Available in Entomology at MSU

The Jim Smith and Peter White research group at Michigan State University (https://msu.edu/user/jimsmith andwww.pjtwhite.org) seeks a motivated PhD student interested in pursuing research investigating insect evolutionary genetics, focused on tephritids, or the impact of urbanization and landscape change on insect populations, primarily within Lepidoptera. There is considerable latitude in research focus, which may include aspects of (A) landscape ecology, (B) natural history and phylogeography, (C) Lepidoptera or tephritid phylogenetics, (D) citizen science initiatives, particularly in the K-14 education sphere, and/or (E) invasive species ecology.

This PhD position is fully funded through a graduate teaching assistantship in the school year, and with available bridge-funding in the summer.

The position could start as early as the Fall 2018 semester.

Qualifications:
– Applicants should have a solid background in entomology and/or ecology and/or genetics
– Applicants must have strong writing skills and possess proficiency in English (both written and spoken) and a valid driving license.
– Applicants should have a strong quantitative reasoning skills.
– Experience or strong interest in teaching and science education is desirable.
– Experience working with undergraduates is desirable.
– A MS is desirable, though not necessarily required.

Application Process:
– Interested applicants should follow the instructions found on the MSU Entomology website here:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/ent/students/graduate_studies/application_process

– In addition, interested applicants should send the following materials to the lab PIs, Peter White (pwhite@msu.edu) and Jim Smith (jimsmith@msu.edu)

(i) an updated CV, (ii) a writing sample, and (iii) a personal statement describing the applicant’s area of research interest.

1. Living Allowance stipend*: $8,384.20
2. AmeriCorps Education Award**: $2,215.24
3. Housing Stipend: $75/week
4. Medical, dental and vision insurance provided at no cost

Subject: UC Irvine Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science

Master’s Program in Conservation and Restoration at UC-Irvine is accepting applications for Fall 2018

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Center for Environmental Biology (CEB) at the University of California, Irvine are accepting applications for the Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS) graduate program providing training for students interested in careers in the research and management of natural resources. Now accepting applications for the second cohort of MCRS students for Fall 2018! Sectors and potential careers for MCRS graduates include: non-profit land management sector, local and federal government agencies, and environmental consulting firms. For more information, visit the MCRS webpage (http://mcrs.bio.uci.edu), or contact program administrators at uciconresscience@uci.edu.

The MCRS degree will provide students with the academic and professional skills needed to study, protect, and conserve natural resources, and to hold leadership and management positions in environmental fields related to conservation, restoration, and sustainability. Potential applicants will need a B.A. or B.S. degree, preferably in the natural sciences (biology, conservation biology, ecology, environmental science, forestry, wildlife biology, horticulture, or similar degree title) from a fully accredited academic institution. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other areas will be considered, but must demonstrate proficiency in the natural sciences and/or practical experience working in this professional field.

The program includes two years of coursework and activities, including 18 units of core courses (e.g., ecology, conservation science), 16 units of topical electives (e.g., environmental policy, land use policy), 18 units of technical and professional skills courses (e.g., technical writing, GIS), and 8 units associated with technical and professional workshops (e.g., regional professional gatherings). A collaborative, year-long group capstone project (12 units), aligned with community partners, integrates the program’s learning objectives and applies student’s new skills to key environmental challenges facing society.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Our next round of applications will be reviewed for admission after July 1, 2018.

Subject: Field & Lab Technician needed, U. New Mexico

The Rudgers & Whitney Labs at the University of New Mexico are looking for a technician / supervisor to work on projects related to the ecology and evolution of plant-microbe-animal interactions.

https://unm.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=13&c=unm&id=3451

Req 3451.

Duties will include work in both field and laboratory settings on projects examining the ecology and evolution of plants, plant-animal and plant-microbe interactions. Position includes lab management and training/working with our undergraduate team. Candidates should have B.A./B.S. in biology (or related field) and some hands-on field and/or lab experience. Training will be provided, but experience with DNA techniques (PCR, sequencing), plant care and greenhouse maintenance, plant identification and vegetation sampling, insect identification, soil science, and/or microbial methods is a bonus. The position is full-time and term-limited (12-36 months). This position would be an excellent fit for someone planning on graduate study in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, as there will be the opportunity to gain experience in a number of research areas and to co-author papers.

Subject: Coweeta REU at Virginia Tech

We are looking for an NSF-REU student to work on a soil microbial ecology project at Virginia Tech for 10 weeks (June – August 2018, exact dates negotiable). A stipend will be provided for travel, field expenses and living expenses (approximately $600 per week). The project will be focused on land use change in the southern Appalachian region and its effects on ecosystem functions of soil microbial communities.

Project details: the student will work directly with a PhD student in the Barrett lab in the Biological Sciences Department on a project based at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in the southern Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. At Coweeta, we are investigating soil microbial responses Rhododendron understory removal, with a focus on responses of microbial extracellular enzymes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling in soil. The REU student will complete a complementary project in which they will measure soil extracellular enzyme activities in forests with no history of a Rhododendron understory as well as forests that have been subjected to a variety of past land uses, such as commercial logging.

In addition to measuring extracellular enzyme activities, the student will gain experience in field soil sampling and processing as well as lab measurement of soil physical and chemical properties. The student will also be involved in data entry, processing, and analysis.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in ecosystem ecology, soil ecology, and microbial ecology. The candidate must be enrolled in an undergraduate program and must have a graduation date after August 2018.
Applicants should send a CV (resume), unofficial transcript, contact information for one academic reference, and a one page personal statement to Ernie Osburn (eosburn@vt.edu). Please include “REU position” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted through May 4th, 2018.

Subject: Summer Internship Opportunity: ESA Science Outreach Intern

The ESA Office of Science Programs (https://www.esa.org/esa/science/)
seeks an energetic senior undergraduate, recent graduate, or graduate student with strong communication and organizational skills to enhance our communication and outreach endeavors and help manage special ESA meetings, workshops, and training events. A basic background in and appreciation for ecology, biology, and/or environmental sciences is desired.

This is a paid, part-time internship based in ESA’s downtown Washington, DC office, with occasional travel to events in the greater DC area. The position is funded from May 29 – August 31, 2018 and pays $15 per hour.

For details and the official job posting, please see:
https://www.esacareercenter.org/job/903469/science-outreach-intern/

Applications due by Friday, April 20th.

JOB: Research Assistant in Rocky Mountain Insect Ecology (3 month position)

Job Description:  The USDA, Agriculture Research Service, Northern Plains Agriculture Research Laboratory in Sidney, MT is seeking an enthusiastic and hard-working individual to serve as a biological science aide.  Our research focuses on grassland insect and rangeland ecology; specifically how interactions between grasshoppers and Mormon crickets affect Mormon cricket and grasshopper diets, insect immunity to pathogens, and grassland health.
Work may include sampling grasshoppers, Mormon crickets, and other rangeland insects in large scale experiments, sampling rangeland plants, setting up and conducting manipulative experiments in the field and lab.  Most field work will be conducted in subalpine meadows at 9000 feet elevation in the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming. A willingness to drive on overnight travel to sites in Wyoming will be required.

Salary: $11.68 – 12.74 per hour (GS-2 – GS-3) dependent on experience and education.  Dorm-style, shared housing is available on location for ~$150 per month, including utilities, internet and basic cable TV.

Dates: Starting June 10th and continuing through the middle of September.

Qualifications: The candidate must be a US citizen.  Additionally, the candidate should be physically fit, able to walk rapidly over rangeland, and comfortable spending long hours outside at high elevation. The candidate will need a driver’s license.  Willingness to work long days, and some weekends when necessary is also a must.  Undergraduate course work in ecology, entomology, range or environmental sciences, and previous field work experience is preferred, but not required.

Application process: Please send cover letter, resume, and names and contact information of two references (electronically) to David Branson (dave.branson@ars.usda.gov).  Be sure to include available start and end dates. In your cover letter and please describe any experience or coursework you have in relevant areas such as field ecology, entomology, or plant identification In your cover letter or resume.

Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For more information on the grasshopper research program
visit: http://bit.ly/2v1SHRb or http://bit.ly/2D5bppW or contact us directly.