Summer 2018 Student Contract Positions – BBS Biolo gical Technicians

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The USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland is seeking two full-time temporary student contractors to assist with duties related to the North American Breeding Bird Survey program (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS).  The BBS is a long-term, continental avian monitoring program that relies on citizen scientists to provide the quantitative population data needed to assess and manage hundreds of migratory bird species found across the U.S. and Canada.  Tasks will include working with wildlife survey data, performance of quality assurance and quality control procedures on biological data, data entry, assisting with database management, photocopying and filing, preparation of maps and assisting in preparation of administrative correspondence.
 
Application deadline:
Interested applicants should submit their resume and cover letter by February 12, 2018.
Statement of Work
1. Types of services required: During the summer field season, approximately 3100 BBS routes are sampled by participants skilled in avian identification. These data are then processed and analyzed by USGS to inform avian conservation efforts in the U.S. and Canada. Tasks will include processing incoming data and materials, performing data entry and quality control procedures using web-based technologies, tracking progress, assisting with database management, photocopying, scanning and filing materials, map preparation, and corresponding with participants.
2. Required expertise/skills:
a. Applicants are required to have completed two years of undergraduate course work (student must be at least a second semester sophomore).
b. Applicants must be majors in a biology, ecology, environmental science or related disciplines.
c. Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing.
d. Applicants must have knowledge of computer software used to summarize and organize data (i.e. Excel and Access).
e. Knowledge of North American birds is not required.
3. Eligibility requirements: To be eligible for a student contract position, applicants must be either a currently enrolled student or a recent graduate. To qualify as a student, the applicant must be enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program at an accredited college or university. Former students who graduated more than 10 months ago or who left school without graduating are not eligible to work under these contracts.  Applicants will be required to show proof of their student status (or recent graduation). USGS employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program. U.S. citizens are eligible. Non-U.S. citizens may be eligible to participate, depending on their immigration status and the applicable regulations of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service). Foreign students in the U.S. under F-1 visas are usually not able to participate in this program, due to USCIS restrictions against off-campus work.
4. Description of working conditions: Work will be performed in an office environment located on the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center campus in Laurel, Maryland. Extended periods of computer use will be required. This is not a field or laboratory position.
5. Compensation: The student contractor will be paid $17.09 per hour. Student contractors are paid only for hours worked (no holiday or leave benefits). Student is responsible for all costs of transportation to and from the principal duty station location. The Government does not provide housing, meals or other living expenses while working at the principal duty station. Official travel away from the duty station is not expected.
6. Principal Duty Station: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 12100 Beech Forest Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708-4038. Student contractors may enter the building only during business hours or when project manager is present.
7. Additional information: Estimated number of hours for the position is 544 (full-time for summer). There is a possibility of additional part-time hours continuing into the fall semester. The approximate start date is May 28, 2018. The approximate end date is August 24, 2018. There is flexibility in start and end dates to accommodate variations in academic calendars.
8. How to apply: Send resume and cover letter to Keith Pardieck via email (kpardieck@usgs.gov). Applications must be received on or before February 12, 2018. In your cover letter include an explanation of how you meet the eligibility requirements, your expected graduation date, and discuss your experience as related to sections 1 and 2 above.
 
 
————————————————————-
Keith L. Pardieck
National Coordinator
North American Breeding Bird Survey
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100 Beech Forest Road  
Laurel, MD 20708
301-497-5843 (Tel)

PhD position on effects of pharmaceuticals/contaminants on recreational fishes – Miami, FL

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Florida International University, Miami, Florida
The Rehage lab at Florida International University, in Miami, FL is seeking a Ph.D. student interested in examining the potential effects of contaminants on recreational fisheries for Fall 2018 (http://myweb.fiu.edu/rehagej/).
 
Dates: Desired start date is Fall 2018, application deadline is February 1, 2018 for Fall 2018 (but position will remain open until filled).
 
About this position: We seek a motivated student with a passion for fish, ecology/fisheries, ecotoxicology and scientific inquiry. The proposed PhD project will be related to (but not limited to) examining the role of contaminants, particularly pharmaceuticals on the decline of bonefish populations in South Florida relative to elsewhere the Caribbean basin.  The position is being offered through the NSF funded CREST program at FIU’s Center for Aquatic Chemistry and Environment (https://crestcache.fiu.edu/) and in collaboration with the Brodin Lab at Umea University, Sweden, http://www.emg.umu.se/english/about-the-department/staff/brodin-tomas/ and  Bonefish and Tarpon Trust,https://www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/. The ideal candidate will have a passion and experience in fish ecology/fisheries and/or ecotoxicology, excellent writing and quantitative skills, previous fish/fisheries field experience and an interest in interdisciplinary collaborations and local partnerships with recreational. Boating and angling experience are highly desired.  Competitive support will be a combination of research & teaching assistantships with health care benefits and a tuition waiver.    
 
About our lab: We are an energetic team of fish ecologists interested in understanding how fishes respond to human and natural disturbance, and how these effects permeate through multiple ecological scales (from individual behavior to population and community dynamics and to human dimensions, such as implications for recreational fisheries). We are part of a highly collaborative south Florida research community, composed of scientists, and federal, state and private partners, all with the shared goal of understanding and forecasting coastal ecosystem responses to the interaction of natural and anthropogenic drivers (see http://fcelter.fiu.edu/).
 
To apply:  please contact Dr. Jenn Rehage ASAP at rehagej@fiu.edu. In your email please tell us about yourself (research interests and experience, fit to the project) and attach a CV (including GPAs, GRE scores, academic record, research experience & references). Please title your email ‘PhD applicant Fall 2018 + your name.’ Our graduate program deadline is February 1, 2018 (please see 
http://earthenvironment.fiu.edu/programs/graduate/ for details on our PhD in Earth Systems Science).
 
About our university: FIU is a public research university in Miami with a highly diverse, vibrant, and growing student body that offers more than 180 study programs. Our multiple campuses serve over 56,000 students, placing FIU among the 5 largest universities in the nation. FIU holds a Carnegie Research 1 designation (highest research activity), and is the largest majority minority RI institution in the US.  CREST CAChE is a joint venture between FIU’s Institute for Water and environment (https://inwe.fiu.edu/) and the STEM Transformation Institute (https://stem.fiu.edu/. 
 
 

Summer Field Technician Jobs in Plant and Insect Ecology

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Summer Field Technician Jobs in Plant and Insect Ecology
 
Wichita State University seeks four highly motivated technicians to assist in data collection for a collaborative research project investigating the response of birds, plants, and insects to cattle grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands in Kansas.  Grazing disturbance on CRP lands is currently excluded or restricted, despite the historic role of bison grazing in prairie communities. Our study will test how high and low diversity seeding practices (CP25 and CP2, respectively) influence the restoration of 108 CRP sites across the longitudinal precipitation gradient in Kansas and the effects of periodic grazing on plants, insects, and birds.
 
Technicians will collect plant and insect data in three-person sampling crews, each led by a graduate researcher. Each crew will be responsible for sampling a subset of sites (36) in the western, central, or eastern region of Kansas. Duties include, but are not limited to: collecting vegetative visual obstruction, abundance, and biomass data; preparing and collecting insect pitfall traps, sweep netting for aerial insects, and associated abiotic data collection (wind, temperature, etc.); data entry and quality control; and equipment preparation. Candidates must be able to work effectively in a team and hike through tall grass with equipment. Working hours will be spent almost exclusively in the field and involve early mornings, long hours when necessary, and in variable weather conditions. Weekend work may be required (dependent on weather delays). Technicians must be able to transport themselves to field housing and be ready to begin data collection May 21, 2018 for a 10-week field season (ending July 28, 2018). Shared housing will be provided for technicians at field stations or rental houses near field sites in rural Kansas. Field vehicles will be provided. Technicians will be compensated $4,400 for the season.
 
Qualifications:
  1. Academic training in or enthusiasm for biology and/or ecology,
  2. Previous experience with plant identification in the Midwestern United States and insect sampling preferred, but not required,
  3. Fit to perform field work while maintaining excellent work ethic in a variety of conditions, including heat, humidity, rain, and biting arthropods,  
  4. Excellent interpersonal skills and willingness to work and live with other technicians and interact positively with CRP landowners,
  5. Able to use a compass and GPS for field navigation,
  6. Possess a valid driver’s license and willing to drive rental field vehicles on gravel and muddy roads,
  7. Must be available from May 21 to July 28, 2018.
To apply, email cover letter, CV, and the names and contact information of three references to Molly Reichenborn atmolly.reichenborn@wichita.edu. Application review will begin January 29, 2018. Positions will remain open until filled.
 

Seasonal position announcements for the Institute for Applied Ecology

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The Institute for Applied Ecology (http://appliedeco.org/) is now accepting applications for a variety of temporary/seasonal positions for the 2018 field season! All positions are posted on the “Jobs” page of the IAE website with detailed position descriptions and specific application instructions.
 
OPEN POSITIONS:
Conservation Research Internships
 
Conservation Research and Botany Field Crew Leader
 
Seasonal Field Botany Technician (Rare Plant Monitoring; Lakeview, OR)
 
Golden Paintbrush Recovery Internships
 
Golden Paintbrush Field Crew Leader
 
Botany Field Internships (Rare Plant Monitoring)
 
Botany Field Crew Leader (Rare Plant Monitoring)
 
Streaked Horned Lark Technician
 
 
All positions are based in Corvallis, OR (housing not provided) with the exception of the “Seasonal Field Botany Technician (Rare Plant Monitoring; Lakeview, OR)” positions, which are based in Lakeview, OR. For these positions only, housing in federal bunkhouses in Lakeview, OR is provided.
 
To Apply:  Applications should be compiled into a single PDF document and emailed to jobs@appliedeco.org[deadlines differ for each position]. In the subject line, please write the position title for which you are applying.
 
Include a letter of interest stating when you will be available to start work (this is a MUST), resume, transcripts(unofficial is fine), and the names and contact information for three references.  AT LEAST ONE reference must be from a supervisor from a work experience.
 
If you are applying to more than one position at IAE, you will need to submit applications to specific postings in separate e-mails.
 
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Non-U.S. residents must also include a copy of their work visa.  Applications will be considered upon receipt.  Please direct all inquiries to jobs@appliedeco.org.
 

PhD Research Assistantship – Evolutionary Ecology

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The School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University is seeking candidates for a graduate assistantship (Ph.D.) in Wildlife Ecology and Management to take the lead on a comprehensive research project examining evolutionary ecology of a large mammal.  The research will be conducted at the Auburn University deer research facility and will examine the evolutionary aspects of reproduction using white-tailed deer as a model.  Working as part of a research team, the selected student will develop a research focus using data (physical characteristics, genetics, blood profiles, parasite loads, hormone levels, etc.) collected over the past 10 years from over 500 individual animals.  During this time period, we have determined parentage assignments for over 400 of these individuals.  These data, as well as an additional 3 years of data collected by the research team while the student is at Auburn, will be available to the student.  The Auburn deer research facility (wp.auburn.edu/deerlab), which is a 430-acre laboratory setting that simulates a free-ranging population of white- tailed deer, has approximately 100 individual adult deer that inhabit the facility at any given time.  The selected candidate will be able to develop a research focus in areas including, but not limited to, relationships among breeding patterns, fitness, the MHC, physical characteristics, parasite loads, and hormone levels.  Responsibilities of the selected candidate will be to spearhead continued data collection in the field (e.g., capture of deer and collection of samples), and to enhance the database that has already been developed for the population.

The position will be available beginning May 2018.  The candidate selected for this position will also serve as the writing TA for the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.  As the writing TA, the candidate will assist undergraduate and graduate students with development of their writing skills.  This responsibility is not to be confused with proofreading writing and telling them what needs to be corrected.  Rather, Auburn University has implemented a complex writing assistance center on campus, and this position serves as the liaison for students in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.  The selected candidate will be trained by the AU Writing Center, and will normally work with students 8-13 hours/week by appointment.  To satisfy the assistantship during the summer semester, the candidate will work with Forestry and Wildlife undergraduate students on their writing for approximately 4 weeks during May-June each summer at our remote campus (The Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center).  The assistantship includes a $19,180 salary, a full tuition waiver, and comes with its own office.
Additionally, highly quality candidates may be considered for an AU Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship, which lasts for 3 years and comes with an annual stipend of $30,000.  If the student is awarded this fellowship, they will still be expected to meet their writing TA responsibilities.

Applicants should possess an M.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology or related field, a strong work ethic, and field and/or lab experience.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but the hope is to make a decision by early February.  Interested applicants should send a cover letter outlining their qualifications for the project, copies of transcripts and GRE scores, and contact information for at least 3 references to Dr. Steve Ditchkoff, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, 3301 Forestry and Wildlife Building, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. Phone – (334) 844-9240: E-mail – ditchss@auburn.edu.  Application materials can be sent by e-mail.

PhD in Restoration Ecology at University of Wyoming

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PhD position available to study sagebrush restoration at the University of
Wyoming.
 
The Laughlin Lab is recruiting a PhD student to start in Fall 2018 to study
drivers of successful sagebrush restoration across the state of Wyoming.
Specifically, we want to evaluate the effects of the soil and rhizosphere
microbiome on sagebrush seedling establishment after disturbances associated
with resource extraction. All interested students are encouraged to apply!
 
Please follow this link for details:
http://plant-traits.net/about/lab-openings/
 
 

Research Experience for Undergraduates at University of Georgia

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Applications are now being accepted for the summer of 2018 Research Experience for Undergraduates in Population Biology of Infectious Diseases, hosted by the University of Georgia. We are excited about the program, which strives to integrate experimental biological science with computational methods and techniques to investigate a variety of areas in infectious disease research. Our goal is to recruit both students with a background in biology, with the intent of introducing them to computational techniques, and also students with a background in mathematics and/or computer science, in order to give them experience in data collection in a laboratory setting.

2018 Program details
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Dates: May 21-July 20, 2017 (9 weeks)

Students will receive a $4950 stipend for the summer, free housing at the University of Georgia, and travel assistance to Athens, GA.

Who is eligible?
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories and have not yet obtained an undergraduate degree.

To Apply:
– Complete the online application at http://reu.ecology.uga.edu/
– Send transcripts (unofficial is ok) to  infectious.disease.reu@gmail.com
– Arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent to infectious.disease.reu@gmail.com

To be considered, all application materials should be received by February 19, 2018. Accepted students will be notified in early March.

For more information, please see our website at http://reu.ecology.uga.edu/
or contact Dr. John Drake, program director, at jdrake@uga.edu

MS Assistantship: The effect of urban sprawl on bird diversity

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One two-year MS assistantship is available starting in August 2018 under the supervision of Dr. Sara Gagné in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
 
A highly-motivated student is sought to pursue research that investigates the effect of urban sprawl on bird diversity. The student will make use of publicly-available datasets and published sprawl indices to investigate how avian community structure and composition respond to variation in urban form among landscapes at multiple spatial scales. The student’s research may also include the investigation of the effect of sprawl on the diversity of other taxa, depending on the availability and suitability of data.
 
Strong candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree with demonstrated research experience and coursework in ecology, environmental science, or biogeography. Candidates with demonstrated written and oral communication skills and strong academic credentials will be preferred. Successful candidates will also have GIS and remote sensing skills, a strong quantitative background, and a passion for biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.
 
The Department of Geography and Earth Sciences offers a Master in Earth Sciences program that includes courses in biogeography, spatial statistics and modeling, GIS and remote sensing, and urban planning. The successful candidate will be supported by a competitive teaching assistantship. Tuition remission is available for highly-qualified candidates. Charlotte is a diverse rapidly growing metropolitan area that boasts an extensive greenway system and lies within a half day’s drive of the spectacular Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains and stunning North Carolina and South Carolina saltmarshes and beaches.
 
Interested candidates should send, via email to Dr. Sara Gagné, sgagne@uncc.edu: (1) a cover letter outlining prior experience and research interests, (2) a CV, (3) GRE scores and GPAs from current and previous programs, and (4) the names and contact information of three referees.
 
More information about Dr. Sara Gagné’s research, the MS Earth Sciences program, and the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences can be found at: http://geoearth.uncc.edu/
 
—————————————————————————
Sara A. Gagné, PhD 
Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology
Earth Sciences Graduate Coordinator
UNC Charlotte | Dept. of Geography and Earth Sciences 
9201 University City Blvd. | Charlotte, NC 28223
Phone: 704-687-5911 | Fax: 704-687-5966

Fisheries Ecology Lab Internships Dauphin Island Sea Lab

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Subject: Fisheries Ecology Lab Internships Dauphin Island Sea Lab
 
2018 Internship Opportunity
Shelby Center for Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Dauphin Island, AL
 
Description:
The Fisheries Ecology lab is seeking interns to work under the faculty direction of Dr. Sean Powers at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on a wide variety of fisheries projects in waters adjacent to Dauphin Island, a gulf barrier island in the northern Gulf of Mexico fringing the Mobile Bay estuary. Paid internships are available for a six-month period.
Qualified applicants will have the opportunity to assist with groundbreaking studies in Fisheries Ecology in the northern Gulf of Mexico that involve a variety of fishes (bony fishes, sharks and rays) from both offshore and inshore locales. Interns will gain experience with various sampling techniques used in fisheries research, as well as the associated laboratory sample processing.
 
 

BES Summer 2018 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Opportunities

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From: Alan Berkowitz [mailto:berkowitza@CARYINSTITUTE.ORG]
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 7:29 AM
Subject: BES Summer 2018 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Opportunities
 
The Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) is now accepting applications for two Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) positions for the summer of 2018! 
 
Students will perform cutting-edge research of immediate relevance to people in urban areas as part of the BES Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program in Baltimore, MD (see: https://beslter.org/). In addition to their individual research projects, students will participate in BES seminars, and in selected activities in the Urban Water Innovation Network (UWIN) Undergraduate Research Program (see: https://erams.com/UWIN/urp/) and the Cary Institute REU program (see:http://www.caryinstitute.org/students/reu-program). Students with interests in urban social ecological systems, aquatic or terrestrial ecology or related fields are encouraged to apply.
 
To apply:  Go to:
 
Application deadline: Rolling. Applications will be reviewed starting February 12, 2018.
 
Dates: Up to 10 weeks between June 4 and August 10, 2018. Specific dates to be determined by student and mentor.
 
Eligibility:  Undergraduate freshmen, sophomores, juniors or first semester seniors. Must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its possessions.
 
Support: $525/week stipend, assistance with room and board on-campus or in nearby housing, travel assistance.
 
Projects for 2018:
A) Baltimore Old Forests Project.
Mentors: Dr. John Lagrosa (Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), University of Maryland Baltimore County) and Nancy Sonti (US Forest Service Baltimore Field Station).
B) The Effect of Urbanization on Riparian Spiders.
Mentors: Dr. Christine Hawn (University of Maryland Baltimore County), Dr. Emma Rosi (Cary Institute) and Dr. Chris Swan (University of Maryland Baltimore County).
 
See detailed project descriptions below.
 
For more information: Contact Dr. Alan R. Berkowitz, BES Education Team Leader, Phone: (845)-677-7600 ext. 311, Email:berkowitza@caryinstitute.org.
 
Please forward this email to students interested in doing independent research in our unique setting.
 
Thanks!
 
Detailed Project Descriptions:
 
A) Baltimore Old Forests Project.
 
Mentors: Dr. John Lagrosa (Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education (CUERE), University of Maryland Baltimore County) and Nancy Sonti (US Forest Service Baltimore Field Station).
 
We are working to understand the relationships among people, communities, and forests in Baltimore over the past 100 years. The distribution of landscapes that seem like “nature” or “wilderness” are actually the result of complex social histories. These insights will help contribute to local agency and non-profit goals for a more equitable future urban forest landscape for Baltimore City. The REU student will use several sources of historical aerial imagery to characterize change in Baltimore City’s forest cover over time (1926-27, 1937-38, 1952-53, 1964, and 1972). The student will gain skills in archival research, georectification, and land use classification using ArcGIS software. In addition, the student will have the opportunity to analyze the resulting historical forest patch data alongside other long-term social, economic, and ecological data sets for insights into which forest patches have been relatively stable or dynamic, and why. Finally, the student may work with scientists from the US Forest Service and the University of Maryland Baltimore County to expand the project onto a crowdsourced citizen science platform. Students with an interest in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), forest ecology, history, and/or citizen science are encouraged to apply.
 
B) The Effect of Urbanization on Riparian Spiders.
 
Mentors: Dr. Christine Hawn (University of Maryland Baltimore County), Dr. Emma Rosi (Cary Institute) and Dr. Chris Swan (University of Maryland Baltimore County).
 
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been detected in a variety of natural environments across the world. Although reported concentrations are generally low, PPCPs can persist in the environment for months to years. PPCPS are biologically active compounds that are designed to influence specific functions and behaviors in target humans and animals. The potential effects of active PPCPs in the environment on human and environmental health are a major concern for groups like the World Health Organization. BES researchers have detected PPCPs in Baltimore streams, however, the extent of exposure throughout the urban environment is unknown. The REU student will design a study to explore the effects of urban stream subsidies on riparian spiders and examine the concentrations of PPCPs in spiders, as indicators of the movement of these contaminants from urban streams to terrestrial consumers.  The student will sample tetragnathid spiders from streams along an urban rural gradient to measure the effects of urbanization in general on spider population density, body condition, and food availability. In addition, analysis of PPCPs levels in spider tissues can help determine whether there are relationships between these variables and PPCP concentrations.