Climate Change REU Internship Program at Edgewater, MD

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The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Maryland offers undergraduate and beginning graduate students a unique opportunity to gain hand-on experience in the fields of environmental research and education. The program enables students to work on specific projects while getting experience in valuable lab techniques all under the direction of the Center’s professional staff. The program is tailored to provide the maximum educational benefit to each participant.
 
SERC is focused on understanding the causes and consequences of environmental change for marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Interns at SERC conduct independent projects over 12-16 weeks utilizing our 2,650 acre research site on the shores of Chesapeake Bay to provide novel insights into some of the most profound  issues challenging our world today, including habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center has maintained an REU site since 2001 and those students sponsored have used our professional-training programs as a stepping stone to pursue advanced careers in the environmental sciences.
 
How to Apply
 
Application to the SERC Internship Program consists of on-line registration,
Student copy of transcripts, personal essay, CV or resume, and two letters of recommendation using the Smithsonian On-line Academic Appointment (SOLAA)  
 
Application deadlines are listed below:
Summer (May-August): Deadline is February 15th
 
 
For more information please visit our web site
 
 
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Students from under-represented groups or institutions lacking research facilities or research opportunities are especially encouraged to apply.
However, all other interested students are encouraged to apply.
 
 

Smithsonian Bicoastal Science Communications Internship

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Stipend: $550/week
Duration: 18 weeks (May/June to September/October 2018)
Start Date: Flexible, between May 14 and June 11
Location: Edgewater, Md. and Tiburon, Calif.
Description:
Gain hands-on experience with environmental communication on both sides of the United States! The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is the Smithsonian’s headquarters for coastal research, with scientists who study climate change, invasive species, conservation and other environmental issues shaping the 21st century. SERC is seeking a communications intern to work for 18 weeks, from summer through mid-autumn, covering the work of SERC scientists in Maryland and California. The intern will start at SERC’s Chesapeake Bay headquarters in Maryland, receiving training in SERC science communications. After six weeks, the intern will travel to San Francisco Bay to cover the work of SERC marine biologists in California for the remaining 12 weeks. Travel funds from Maryland to California are included. This internship is open to undergraduate students, master’s students, and recent graduates up to one year after graduation.
Part I: Chesapeake Bay
The intern will spend the first six weeks at SERC’s headquarters in Edgewater, Md. Here, the intern will interview SERC scientists in the field and the lab and write about their work. This first part of the internship will introduce the intern to the main features of SERC science communications: writing articles for the SERC Shorelines blog, preparing posts for SERC’s social media and assisting with the production of SERC’s quarterly newsletter On The Edge, under the mentorship of SERC science writer Kristen Minogue.
Part II: San Francisco Bay (SERC-West)
For the final 12 weeks, the intern will work in California, with the Tiburon section of SERC’s Marine Invasions Research Lab.  SERC’s Tiburon branch (a.k.a. “SERC-West”) is hosted at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center, a marine field station at San Francisco State University’s Romberg Tiburon Campus. The marine biologists of SERC-West work in San Francisco Bay and traverse the Pacific Coast studying invasive species, oyster restoration and other critical conservation issues. While in California, the intern will cover the work of SERC’s West Coast scientists while exploring and developing communication strategies within the Pacific market. During the California part of the internship, the intern will work under the onsite supervision of research ecologist Andrew Chang and correspond regularly with Kristen Minogue via video conferencing.
Desired Qualifications:
Strong scientific background (natural sciences coursework; not required to be a science major) and skill writing about science for a nonscientific audience. Ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) required; familiarity with photo and video editing software, WordPress and HTML a plus.
To apply:
Send a cover letter, resume with references (name, title and contact information) and unofficial transcript(s) toScienceWritingIntern@si.edu by 11:59 PST Monday, February 19, 2018. One to three published or unpublished writing samples explaining science for general readers are also essential to include for the application to be considered. For more information, visit http://serc.si.edu. Questions? Send an email to SERC Science Writer Kristen Minogue at ScienceWritingIntern@si.edu.
 
 
 
 

MS and PhD positions in Insect Ecology at Clemson

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I have resources to support one MS and one PhD student in a new agricultural insect ecology lab at Clemson University in beautiful upstate South Carolina.
My lab will focus on agricultural biodiversity (of soil microbes, plants, and
insects) and biological control of crop pests. While student research may complement ongoing work in the lab (see carmenblubaugh.com for details), I will also consider guiding worthy student projects that fall within the broad theme of predator/prey ecology, using crop systems as a model. To apply, please prepare a personal statement detailing your qualifications and career goals, as well as a separate research statement that describes and justifies your personal research objectives, based on current knowledge in the field.

Please email a CV and these two requested documents in a single pdf to cblubau@clemson.edu. Preliminary field work may begin as early as summer 2018.

Paleontology Field Research School for Undergraduates – La Brea Tar Pits

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Subject: Paleontology Field Research School for Undergraduates – La Brea Tar Pits
 
·        Course Dates: June 25-July 20, 2018
Total Cost: $2,940
Course Type: Paleontology
Course Credit: 8 Semester Upper-Division Credits (undergraduate level)
Payment Deadline: April 20, 2018
Instructors: Dr. Emily Lindsey
Online Orientation: May 6, 2018, 2:30 PM PST
 
The La Brea Tar Pits is one of the only fossil sites on earth that captures an entire ecosystem moving through time. With millions of datable fossils covering the last 50,000 years, and comprising everything from plants and insects to dire wolves and mammoths, this site offers an unparalleled opportunity to answer questions about long-term effects of climate change, human activities, and extinction on ecosystems. Students in this course will be trained in paleontological excavation, fossil preparation, and museum curation, and will learn how paleontological data are being used today to manage for future change. To apply please visit the program page. 
 
This field school is offered through the Institute for Field Research is a nonprofit organization that provides undergraduate students with opportunities to participate in hands-on, peer-reviewed field research projects in the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, paleontology, and sustainable design. Participants will earn 8 semester credits from Connecticut College upon successful completion of an IFR field school.  
 
If you have questions about the La Brea Tar Pits field school or about the Institute for Field Research, please do not hesitate to contact our staff at info@ifrglobal.org. We are readily available to answer your questions and to assist students through the application process.  
 
Sincerely,
Miriam Bar-Zemer  
·         

Biological Science Technician, birds, Colorado

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The Forest Service (yours truly) is looking to hire a seasonal GS-0404-5 Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) for the 2018 field season, working out of the Paonia Ranger Station in scenic downtown Paonia.  Duties will be primarily field surveys and monitoring for migratory birds, goshawks, purple martins, and leopard frogs, along with whatever other fun and interesting things we can find time to do over the summer.  Associated work includes data collection, maintenance of data sets, data entry, preparation of reports or presentations on findings, and similar.  Work will be in support of environmental analyses for timber, minerals, recreation, and/or wildlife projects. This is a paid seasonal position, not to exceed 1039 hours (6 months), and I expect funding to cease Oct 1, although there may be work the following summer.  This is a field position (as much as possible), full time, with a work schedule that may include early morning hours for surveying, and will require hiking and off-trail travel through the forest.  Any necessary training and equipment will be provided.
The outreach notice is currently posted on https://fsoutreach.gdcii.com/.  Search for Paonia as the location and it should lead you to the announcement.  It should also be on the GMUG website and Facebook page before the day is out.  The job will be posted on USAJOBS.gov in a few weeks (hopefully), at which point I will probably post here again, as well as sending direct information to anyone who contacts me in any way about it during the outreach period.  If you truly wish to apply for the position, I recommend going to USAJOBS well before the deadline and preparing your information and resume to make the application process go faster.
Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. My work email is dgarrison@fs.fed.us, and my phone # is 970-527-4131 x4259.
 
Dennis Garrison
Paonia, Delta County

Colorado Natural Areas Program Field Technician Position

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From: Raquel Wertsbaugh [mailto:raquel.wertsbaugh@STATE.CO.US]
Sent: Friday, February 2, 2018 6:16 PM
Subject: Colorado Natural Areas Program Field Technician Position

The Colorado Natural Areas Program is hiring a temporary field technician to assist with the monitoring of Colorado’s state natural areas. The Colorado Natural Areas Program is a statewide conservation program within Colorado Parks and Wildlife with an emphasis on rare plant conservation. The position duration is 6-9 months beginning in April. The application deadline is February 13.

Full position announcement can be found here:
– http://cpw.state.co.us/JobsLib/2018_CNAP_Temp_Wertsbaugh.pdf
– http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Jobs.aspx

Biological Science Technicians, Sequoia-Kings Canyon Field Station

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*Extended Deadline*
 
Summer Employment Opportunity!
Come work among the Giant Sequoias and High Sierras!
 Sequoia-Kings Canyon Field Station (USGS) is currently searching for people interested in summer 2018 Biological Science Technician positions in Forest Ecology.
 Pay: GG-5 (approx. $16.00/hour)     Location: Three Rivers, California
             Crew 1: Measure forest demographics, including measuring trees and seedlings and determining cause of death.  Gain knowledge and experience in ecological research, identifying Sierran trees, and forest pathology. Up to 6 positions will be filled.  Positions are full-time, start in approximately mid-May, and will last about 5 months.
            Crew 2: Participate in research project on whitebark pine persistence across its range in the Sierras. Backpack in a variety of conditions across many regions of the Sierras, including Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Sample forestry plots in remote areas from 7,000-11,000 feet. Gain knowledge and experience in ecological research, collecting tree cores and other samples, and tree measurements. Up to 2 positions will be filled. Positions are full-time, start approximately late May/early June, and will last up to 4 months.  Ideal candidates will have backpacking experience and feel comfortable spending up to 10 days in the backcountry.
 Must be a US Citizen in order to qualify.  Also need bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience. Some field work experience required. Want people with some biological coursework and experience, an interest in forest or field ecology who want to work outdoors, and who like to work in small teams and have strong interpersonal skills.  Housing available for rent.
  
If interested: e:mail a cover letter, resume, list of references, and unofficial transcripts to:   Anne Pfaff atahpfaff@usgs.gov
 
*To be considered, please send information by February 12, 2018.*
 
For more information, call Anne at (559) 565-3172 or e:mail at ahpfaff@usgs.gov. 
 
 

Recruiting Interns, Hubbard Brook and Bartlett Experimental Forests

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About the Project:  Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE) is an NSF-funded project that seeks to examine the limits to forest productivity in the context of resource optimization theory. Experimental tests of N and P limitation in temperate forest systems are few, and those few have been short-term with very high rates of fertilization. In 2011 we began long-term low-level additions of N, P, and
N+P in 13 forest stands distributed across three sites in the White
N+Mountain
National Forest of New Hampshire. At Bartlett Experimental Forest, which is underlain by granite, we have three young, three mid aged, and three mature stands. At both Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, on granodiorite, and Jeffers Brook on amphibolite (metamorphosed basalt), we have one mature and one mid-aged forest stand. Each stand has four plots treated annually with N
(30 kg N/ha/yr as NH4NO3), P (10 kg P/ha/yr as NaH2PO4), both N and P, and control. These treatments allow us to test for NP co-limitation and to challenge balanced forest nutrition and thereby induce mechanisms that maintain co-limitation.  More information on the project is available at http://www.esf.edu/melnhe, including a blog from previous field crews.

Internship Description:  Interns will be guided in the design of their research projects and will interact closely with graduate students and senior research scientists.  Research projects could include the effects of nutrient addition on fine and woody litter production, seed rain, tree water use (sap flow), soil respiration, and canopy spectral properties, which involves ground truthing remotely sensed tree crown locations. Interns will gain a wide variety of skills by assisting in all ongoing projects.  Interns have the opportunity to present their results at the annual Hubbard Brook Cooperators Meeting in July.
Interns are provided with shared housing at Bartlett Experimental Forest; tenting is optional.  Work days typically begin at 8:00 and end at 4:30, but may be shorter or longer depending upon the day’s activities.  Food is prepared communally by the interns and graduate student researchers, and costs generally run between $5-6 per day. A stipend of $200 per week is provided for living expenses.

Desired Qualifications:  Ideal applicants will have a strong interest in forest biology, ecology, or biogeochemistry.  Undergraduate students and recent graduates will be considered.  A positive attitude is important and a sense of humor is a plus.  Willingness to work and live in a communal setting is critical. Candidates should be able to perform repetitive tasks with attention to detail in a field setting under adverse conditions.
Applicants should be flexible in their expectations, but an estimated breakdown of the summer is: 60% fieldwork, 15% lab work, 10% data management, and 15% research proposals and reports of independent projects.

To Apply:  Please send a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three references to Alex Young, aryoung@syr.edu. Interested students should apply by Friday, March 9th, but applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. The field season will begin on June 4 (arrive June
3) and end on August 10 (depart on August 11).

Researcher I (fisheries biologist)

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The Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale is seeking a new Researcher I (fisheries biologist).

For details on how to apply go to
https://affact.siu.edu/jobs/vcr140.html

Apply by 2/19/2018

Duties: Including, but not limited to: operation of boats, conducting fish hydroacoustic sampling in rivers, processing and analyzing hydroacoustic data in the office, routine collection and identification of riverine fishes, surgical implantation of acoustic transmitters in fish, analyzing and interpreting fisheries data for reports or publications. The successful candidate must make multiple overnight trips for field work (up to 100 nights per year), work long hours under adverse weather conditions, maintain a valid driver’s license, and be able to routinely lift 50 pounds.

Qualifications: B.A. or B.S. in Biology, Fisheries, Aquatic Ecology or related field (M.S. preferred). Additional relevant experience is desirable. Applicant(s) must exhibit a strong background in fisheries research techniques, including data analysis, boat operation and maintenance, and fisheries research techniques such as setting gill and trammel nets, and operating electrofishing equipment. Experience with telemetry and/or hydroacoustic techniques is preferred.

Disease Ecology Project Assistant Opportunities Available at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

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The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is accepting applications for the following positions (24):
 
1) The Tick Project – Disease Ecology Project Assistant (up to 13):
Job Description: Research the effects of tick management interventions on the survival and behavior of blacklegged ticks and risk of tick-borne disease in people.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York’s Hudson River Valley, with travel to sites throughout Dutchess County, New York. Duties include sampling and collecting ticks in suburban neighborhoods, tick identification, live-trapping small mammals, gathering data and entering data on tick encounters with local residents, coordinating with local residents to collect field data, deploying wildlife cameras and identifying species captured in wildlife camera photos.
Qualifications: Meticulous attention to detail, self-motivation, and experience in field ecology are mandatory. Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable. 
Employment: Employment may begin as early as March 12 or as late as May 15, with an end date of approximately September 30, 2018. 
To Apply: Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 18003-I, “The Tick Project”.
2) The Lyme-Climate Project – Disease Ecology Project Assistant (up to 6)
Job Description: Research the effects of weather and climate on the survival and behavior of blacklegged ticks and risk of tick-borne disease.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York’s Hudson River Valley, with travel to sites between northern New York and North Carolina. Duties include maintaining lab colonies of mice and ticks, preparing and maintaining field equipment and field sites, assessing and recording tick survival, and programming, downloading and managing data from dataloggers.
Qualifications: Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology are mandatory. Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable. 
Employment: Employment to begin between March 12 and April 30, with an end date of approximately October 31, 2018. 
To Apply: Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 18004-I “The Lyme-Climate Project”.
3) Mouse-mast Project – Disease Ecology Project Assistant (up to 4):
Job Description: Research the dynamics of mammalian communities and the relationships between mammals, ticks, oak trees, and Lyme disease.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York’s Hudson River Valley.  Duties include live-trapping small mammals, taking blood, urine, and fecal samples, reliably recording trapping data, sampling abundance of ticks, tree seed collection, and seedling surveys within eastern deciduous forest plots. Early morning, late afternoon, and occasional weekend hours are required.
Qualifications: Prior experience handling small mammals is highly desirable.
Employment: Employment may begin as early as April 1 or as late as mid May, with an end date of approximately November 14, 2018. 
To Apply: Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 18002-I, “Mouse-mast Project”.
4) Public Health Project Assistant – “The Tick Project” (1):
Job Description: Research the effects of tick management interventions on the risk of tick-borne disease in people.  Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York’s Hudson River Valley.  Duties include conducting phone surveys of study participants, tracking reports of tick encounters and tick-borne diseases, secure management of participant medical information, and creating GIS maps of field sites. 
Qualifications: Meticulous attention to detail, self-motivation, and experience working with the public are mandatory.  Prior experience with ESRI ArcGIS software is desirable but not required. 
Employment: Employment begins by March 7, with an end date of approximately November 23, 2018.  
To Apply: Please submit job application via http://www.caryinstitute.org/who-we-are/jobs and include a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Be sure to cite Job Number 18005-I “The Tick Project”.
All positions report to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld.
 
Jobs are full time, 35 hours/week. These are seasonal, hourly, non-benefited positions. Wage is commensurate with education and experience. On-site or nearby housing may be available. Finalist candidates will be required to complete a post-offer, pre-employment driving background check successfully. All candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. Posting is open until February 12, 2018 or until filled. 
 
The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, familial status, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.