The Echinacea Project seeks undergraduate students and graduates to conduct fieldwork in Minnesota prairies. We investigate ecology and evolution in fragmented prairie habitat in Minnesota, focusing on a model organism, the purple coneflower. This summer, we will investigate the effects of spring fires on summer flowering, pollination, and plant reproduction; you can read more about our work with fire in Popular Science or watch this video we made. We have many projects for interns with backgrounds or interests in plant ecology, pollination biology, evolution, statistics, and conservation. We also have projects for interns with little field research experience but enthusiasm to learn. All positions are paid, including several NSF-funded REU internships, a field assistant position, and a 12-month internship for recent grads. We especially encourage students from groups underrepresented in science to apply! 

Applications are due starting February 24th. See our website for more information. The team and I are happy to answer any questions. 

Everglades Invasive Reptile Internships

University of Florida in partnership with U.S. Geological Survey is hiring SIX intern positions in the Everglades! These are 1-yr term, post-baccalaureate-level field/lab positions for herp-focused people. Go to the Wildlife and Fisheries Science Job Board for more information on applying (linked below). Application deadlines are 12 and 14 Feb.

Link to details on position one. 

Link to details on position two.

Summer REU internship: prairie ecology in western MN

The Echinacea Project is recruiting undergraduate students to conduct research in the tallgrass prairie. Team Echinacea investigates ecology and evolution in fragmented prairie habitat in Minnesota, focusing on a model organism, the purple coneflower. This summer, we will investigate effects of spring fires on summer flowering, pollination, and plant reproduction. Read more about our work with fire in Popular Science here or watch a video about this research here.

In addition to helping with ongoing research projects, REU students will pursue an independent research project related to plant ecology, pollination biology, evolution, statistics, or conservation. No field experience is necessary, but enthusiasm is a must for prospective REUs! We especially encourage students from groups underrepresented in science to apply. 

Details:
– Program runs June-August; exact start/end dates negotiable
– Housing provided
– Travel expenses to the research site covered
– $600/week stipend

Applications are due starting February 24th. Learn more and apply here.

he Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) are seeking a PhD student to evaluate the effects of prescribed fire on Box Turtles in Massachusetts. The position announcement is below. However, the deadline for applications is rapidly approaching – December 1, 2021. The late deadline is because we’re hoping for the student to enroll in the evolutionary biology program, which offers additional support. The student would start in Fall 2022. There will be an intensive field component on Cape Cod.

Michael T. Jones, Ph.D.
State Herpetologist
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581
p: (508) 389-7863 | e: michael.t.jones@state.ma.us
mass.gov/masswildlife | facebook.com/masswildlife



Graduate Student Opportunity (PhD level): Box turtle-Prescribed Fire
Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (MA Coop Unit)
University of Massachusetts, Organismic & Evolutionary Biology Department, Amherst, MA
Review of applications will begin 01 Dec 2021
Position start date Summer 2022

Position description Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) mortality during prescribed fire is a
management concern in Massachusetts and other northeastern states. Observational and experimental
studies have found that individual Box Turtles exhibit a range of complex behavioral responses to fire,
and that early growing season fires may be more lethal under normal circumstances. It is clear that the
effect of fire is highly variable, and likely to influence populations differently based on habitat, landscape
connectivity, population structure, season, fuel conditions, and weather. The Massachusetts Division of
Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), the Massachusetts Army National Guard, and UMass Amherst are
partnering to develop a coherent, empirically-informed, locally-tested management protocol for Box
Turtles in the context of prescribed fire management in Massachusetts.

Therefore, we are seeking applications for a PhD level graduate student position at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst. We highly encourage people from historically underrepresented groups or
non-traditional backgrounds to apply. The successful candidate will enroll in the PhD program in the
Organismic & Evolutionary Biology Department (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgpls.cns.umass.edu%2Foeb&data=04%7C01%7Ccinnis%40neaq.org%7Ce1c90ab4bf9847bf0a2408d9aeb0e803%7C89f48289f3b64464923fe55ac82cdbbb%7C1%7C1%7C637732897095143961%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=XwHyZdaN%2FTht0hTQgAf%2BpAONEGYN3V5W%2BCEuxya6G9A%3D&reserved=0) and be part of the MA
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.usgs.gov%2Fcoopunits%2Funit%2FMassachusetts&data=04%7C01%7Ccinnis%40neaq.org%7Ce1c90ab4bf9847bf0a2408d9aeb0e803%7C89f48289f3b64464923fe55ac82cdbbb%7C1%7C1%7C637732897095143961%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=hUWFDk6AgAxKnC%2BGdRRzriMMtwka4slfSxYUr2MlRtM%3D&reserved=0).
Note that the position is contingent upon final funding details.

Project objectives Potential objectives, which are subject to modification based on the successful
applicant’s interests, include:
● Gather standardized information on prescribed fires within Box Turtle habitat and fire-related
Box Turtle mortalities
● Implement an observational study of Eastern Box Turtles using radiotelemetry at Camp Edwards
and adjacent areas during the active season for each of four years
● Characterize and model the behavioral response of live Box Turtles to fire through controlled
experiments
● Evaluate the effects of season, fuels, weather, habitat, and turtle position on mortality and injury
rates, using “surrogate models”
● Implement standardized post-burn surveys for Box Turtles following prescribed fires- requires
flexibility in terms of traveling to and from Camp Edwards with little notice
● Use a spatially-explicit population viability analysis to evaluate the population-level effects of fire
on priority populations
● Facilitate—through Structured Decision Making—a workshop with stakeholders to appropriately
minimize the effects of fire on Box Turtle population persistence

Salary/Benefits The graduate student will be provided:
1. Research assistantship funding and teaching assistantship funding for at 5 years through the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, which includes graduate student stipend (~$32,000 per year
for 20 hrs/week), health benefits, and tuition waiver. More information about benefits is available
through the UMass Graduate Employee Organization (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geouaw.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ccinnis%40neaq.org%7Ce1c90ab4bf9847bf0a2408d9aeb0e803%7C89f48289f3b64464923fe55ac82cdbbb%7C1%7C1%7C637732897095143961%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=bv1pyt8zICrDy%2FRnm%2FYLimV4E2zaXZxu22%2BtLKMHg6k%3D&reserved=0).
2. Professional development experiences relevant to federal and state jobs but transferable to
other conservation agencies.
3. Mentoring, encouragement, and autonomy to ensure that they see and understand how they
and their perspectives are vital to achieving the goals of the project.

Expectations
The following will be considered positive factors in choosing a successful candidate. We do not expect
applicants to have all of these qualities and is not meant to discourage applicants.
– Evidence of a strong desire to learn (as supported by evidence of superior academic
achievement, extracurricular activities, or life experiences)
– Interest and/or experience conducting field work
– Interest in population ecology and conservation
– Interest in box turtle conservation and prescribed fires
– A great deal of flexibility (e.g., being called a few days prior to a prescribed fire burn and being
ready to travel to Camp Edwards at a moment’s notice)
– Creativity (e.g., problem solving and creative solutions to answering objectives)
– Practical field skills (e.g., standard auto transmission, GPS, radiotelemetry, fire safety, GIS
skills/experience).
– Red card and/or previous experience using fire for restoration (formal or informal) is a plus.
In addition, the graduate student will be provided training and support to learn and accomplish the
following:
– Work alongside MassWildlife, USGS, and other stakeholders to accomplish the objectives of this
project
– Apply and obtain permits and IACUC approval
– Collect and analyze data
– Perform field work at Camp Edwards in Bourne, MA
– Present research findings at quarterly meetings with stakeholders
– Prepare at least three manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals

Eligibility
– Minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for undergraduate students
– Have graduated from undergrad by May 2022 to start graduate school in Fall 2022

Application To apply, you will need to submit your application to 2 locations by Dec 01, 2021:
(1) Please submit your UMass graduate school application to the OEB program here:
https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.umass.edu%2Fgraduate%2Fapply%2Fhow-apply&data=04%7C01%7Ccinnis%40neaq.org%7Ce1c90ab4bf9847bf0a2408d9aeb0e803%7C89f48289f3b64464923fe55ac82cdbbb%7C1%7C1%7C637732897095143961%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=fjw85lEAWEVXV1u0GaeIygMpJ1mFKD4PkEiRlvxEiR0%3D&reserved=0
(a) More details on the application materials can be found here:
https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgpls.cns.umass.edu%2Foeb%2Fadmissions&data=04%7C01%7Ccinnis%40neaq.org%7Ce1c90ab4bf9847bf0a2408d9aeb0e803%7C89f48289f3b64464923fe55ac82cdbbb%7C1%7C1%7C637732897095143961%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=9516ReDzZ0JlBCQZDWkw7TocFpo63ApP7COuVfdL5vY%3D&reserved=0
(b) Briefly, you will need the following:
(i) All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts
(ii) A Personal Statement
(iii) At least three letters of recommendation
(iv) A Curriculum Vitae
(v) GRE scores are not considered.

(2) Please also send the following materials in a single PDF with the following document name
“YOUR LAST NAME-Box turtle app- 2021.pdf” in an email with the subject “Box turtle-prescribed
fire application” to Dr. Graziella DiRenzo at gdirenzo@umass.edu:
(a) The same personal statement submitted to the UMass graduate school. Ideally, the
personal statement describes your interest in the position, past research experiences,
interest in conducting fieldwork, desire to pursue graduate work, and any discrepancies
in your academic record;
(b) A curriculum vitae or resume;
(c) The contact information (name, position, relationship to applicant, email, and phone
number) for three references;
(d) Unofficial transcripts

You must submit your application to BOTH locations by Dec 01, 2021 (UMass graduate school &
emailed to Dr. Graziella DiRenzo) to be considered for the position. Please send questions to any of the
project investigators listed below.

Project investigators
Dr. Graziella DiRenzo (gdirenzo@umass.edu), U.S. Geological Survey, MA Coop Unit
Dr. Tammy Wilson (tammywilson@umass.edu), U.S. Geological Survey, MA Coop Unit
Dr. Michael Jones – State Herpetologist, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Nondiscriminatory AA/EEO statement The University of Massachusetts provides equal employment
opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion,
gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability,
military status, genetic information, pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition, or membership in any
other legally protected class. The University of Massachusetts complies with all applicable federal, state
and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the university
operates.

The Team-TERRA transdisciplinary graduate training program at the University of Connecticut is seeking prospective Ph.D. students from a variety of disciplines in a newly NSF funded transdisciplinary training program. The team-based, interdisciplinary training addresses complex risks spread across urbanizing landscapes to the nexus of food, energy, water, and ecosystems. As part of the training program, trainees will work in diverse teams to predict and solve the complex problems of the future in regions that are urbanizing and stretched to both provide the essentials for human wellbeing while maintaining the many benefits of biodiversity and natural ecosystems. 

The training program consists of a 2-year sequence of coursework, teamwork, a real-world internship, and associated workshops. Successful applicants will learn highly sought-after skills in risk analysis, management, and communication; landscape analysis and decision support tools embedded in geographic information systems; and how to lead and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. The trainees will independently complete and work toward departmental and university dissertation requirements. Funding is available for 1-year stipends, travel, in addition to departmental funding opportunities. 

If interested, contact the program coordinator, charlotte.nelson@uconn.edu or any of our faculty to let them know you are interested in applying to Team-TERRA. You can find more information about the program in the attached brochure and on the Team-TERRA website.

For students entering the Team-TERRA program either fall 2022, (existing UConn students) or fall 2023 cohort (students applying for admission to UConn), applications will be reviewed starting on February 1st, 2022, with priority given to those applications that are received prior to February 1st, 2022. Rolling admission will continue until May 1st, 2022.

From: “Nolan, Benjamin S” <bnolan@usgs.gov>
Subject: Predator/Prey Research Technician, U.S. Geological Survey

Job Description:

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Boulder City, NV field station is recruiting field technicians to assist with research projects investigating black-tailed jackrabbit and coyote predator-prey interactions and ecology in southern Nevada. The majority of duties will be fieldwork based and will primarily include, but are not limited to:

*   Assisting in capturing, marking, and fitting GPS/VHF collars for jackrabbits and coyotes.
*   Using radio telemetry to monitor jackrabbit movement and behavior.
*   Retrieving, downloading, and troubleshooting radio/GPS transmitters and data loggers.
*   Collecting tissue samples (blood, tissue, DNA, parasites) and morphological measurements.
*   Investigating jackrabbit mortalities and identifying causative factors.
*   Maintaining a network of camera traps, and sorting camera trap photos/video.
*   Assisting in nocturnal spotlight line distance and other surveys for jackrabbits.
*   Performing vegetation surveys to characterize habitats.
*   Managing and maintaining large datasets.
*   Using Excel, relational databases, ArcMap, and R to enter, organize, QA/QC, and analyze data
*   Assisting with the day-to-day operations of field research (preparing supplies, vehicle and equipment maintenance).
*   Participating in other research projects as assigned.

The data that are collected will be used to analyze predator and prey population trends, movement patterns, microsite selection, diet, and home range characteristics, as well as aid in the understanding of how habitat and environmental parameters influence distribution, abundance, and food habits.

We are seeking applicants in great physical condition and capable of hiking long distances over rugged desert terrain in 110°F+ temperatures, all while carrying a 30 pound pack. Significant amounts of night work are required, including surveys and capture activities for jackrabbits. The applicant must have or be willing to obtain a current rabies vaccine. A positive attitude, flexibility, attention to detail, interest in ecological research, ability to strictly follow data collection protocols, and the ability to work well both independently and as part of a team are also requirements. Experience with mammalian capture and handling, radio telemetry, Mojave Desert plant identification, ArcGIS, and data analysis in R is preferred. This project has recently expanded to include both lethal and non-lethal Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHDV2) sampling. There may be some opportunity to work on these new disease sampling aspects of the project. As such, previous experience with biological sampling is desirable. Work-related firearms experience is beneficial, but not required.

Schedules are highly variable, can change with little notice, and will often require early morning or late evening start times, long days, and a few weekends of work.

This temporary position is scheduled to begin in July or August 2021 and extend for up to 180 working days (approximately 9 months). Extensions may be possible, contingent upon performance and funding availability.

Qualifications: 3 years of college with courses related to biological sciences (equivalent to 90 semester/135 quarter hours) plus 3 months of lab or field work experience; or 9 months of field experience; or 3 years of sub-professional experience. A valid U.S. driver’s license and a pre-employment physical are required. All applicants must be U.S. citizens.

Salary: GG-0404-05, $17.15 hourly, plus paid vacation and sick days.

Application instructions:  E-mail resume, cover letter detailing your interest and qualifications, and contact information for at least three references in one PDF document to bnolan@usgs.gov using the format Lastname_Firstname_USGSPredatorPrey.PDF (e.g. Nolan_Benjamin_USGSPredatorPrey.PDF) by 11:59 PM PDT on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. For each position on your resume, please be sure to include the number of hours worked per week, as well as exact start and end dates (month/day/year). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If claiming 5 point veterans’ preference, a DD-214 showing character of discharge is required.  If claiming 10 point veterans’ preference, a SF-15 with proof of claim is required.

Subject: Forest technician for drone inventory operations

Treeswift builds robots and algorithms to collect, produce, and manage complex forest data. Using uniquely customized drones, we fly underneath forest canopies to capture data that were previously impossible to collect. We are looking for part-time forest technicians to assist in drone operations starting June 2021 in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. As a visual observer, you will support cutting-edge forest inventory methods built on robotics and AI.

Key Responsibilities
– Promote situational awareness of the operating area as a visual observer before, during, and after flight operations.
– Communicate risk-management information as an integrated component of the operating team.
– Navigate across forest terrain for up to 10 hours / day.
– Record visual assessments and make physical measurements of tree and plot-level characteristics.

Desired Experience and Abilities
– Ability to travel independently within Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
– Interest in managing and visualizing geospatial data sets.
– A part 107 remote pilot certificate is not required.

Initially we expect approximately 40 hours of work for one week in June with the possibility to continue for future operations. You are invited to apply by June 1 for immediate consideration. We will also consider applications that are received after this date as there are opportunities for growth with Treeswift in future projects throughout 2021. Send us a resume or CV and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position to alex@treeswift.com.

Treeswift is dedicated to building a community who embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer.