Opportunities

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.
 
 

M.S. graduate assistantship in heterogeneity-diversity relationships

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M.S. graduate student position to study the influence of soil heterogeneity
on plant diversity.

This NSF funded project examines the role of soil heterogeneity and aggregated seed arrival on plant community assembly in tallgrass prairies.
In 2017, a large, field experiment was established to test how these factors influence plant diversity and potentially relate to species coexistence.
Additionally, the experiment has direct implications for the restoration of grassland plant communities.  The position is in the Houseman lab at Wichita State University (see link below) and the student will work at the WSU field station and will be . The student will be responsible for collecting plant and soil data from the experiment, supervising other technicians, analyzing data, and submitting at least one paper for publication.  This position will start either August 2018 or January 2019 although a paid technician position is available in May 2018.

Application details: Interested students should contact Dr. Greg Houseman by email for further information.

Gregory R. Houseman
Associate Professor
Wichita State University
greg.houseman@wichita.edu
www.wichita.edu/biology/ghouseman

Job Ad: Temporary Academic Coordinator – Introductory Biology UCSB

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Subject: Job Ad: Temporary Academic Coordinator – Introductory Biology UCSB

The Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology (EEMB;
www.eemb.ucsb.edu) at the University of California, Santa Barbara invites applications for a Temporary Academic Coordinator position, at the rank of Academic Coordinator I.

The Academic Coordinator assists in administering course activities in the Introductory Biology Program consisting of a laboratory course and one or two lecture courses each quarter. These courses have enrollments of approximately 800-1100 students each quarter.

The Academic Coordinator will provide logistical assistance to the operation of both lecture and lab courses. This includes scheduling of lectures, exams and laboratories, production of syllabi, maintaining the course web sites, and honors sections. Additionally, the Coordinator will work collaboratively with the Program Manager in scoring of lecture and laboratory exams, and distribution of teaching materials to faculty.
The Coordinator will be included in lab planning, assisting with weekly training sessions, the preparation and maintenance of supporting documentation of all quarterly lab expenditures, manage inventory of all equipment and lab consumables, and coordinate repair and maintenance service for all lab equipment.

The Coordinator will work closely with and report to, the Academic Coordinator II but must be capable of all duties with a minimum amount of supervision.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate the ability to integrate material from different parts of the Introductory Biology course(s) and understand how they relate to one another by providing evidence of previously managing an instructional program in the biological sciences. Candidates with prior experience coordinating and managing large (several hundred
students) Lecture / Laboratory courses in biology are preferred.

The department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service.

This position requires a Bachelor’s degree. This position will start as soon as possible and will be for an initial period of one year with the possibility of an additional year. Electronic applications (including a cover letter, CV and contact info only of 3 references) should be submitted to: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/apply/JPF01190.

For Full consideration, please apply by 02/16/18. Thereafter, position will be open until filled.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Volunteer opportunity with the Delaware Shorebird Project

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Title: Shorebird Volunteer
Who: Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
When: 12 May to 4 June
Where: Prime Hook, DE
Type: Volunteer opportunity
 
Description:
 
The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Delaware Shorebird Project is seeking volunteers for the May 2018 field season. The Shorebird Project monitors migratory shorebirds including Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and the federally threatened Red Knot that stopover in the Delaware Bay each spring to feed on horseshoe crab eggs before departing for the Artic. Volunteer duties include participating in banding/trapping efforts, resighting marked birds, assisting with data entry, data QA/QC, helping maintain field equipment, and keeping the field house clean and organized. Training will be provided. This is a great opportunity for current students or recent graduates to gain field experience.
 
Qualification:
 
Must have enthusiasm for natural resource conservation, a willingness to learn, and the ability to work well in a group. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and be able to withstand heat, cold, and biting insects. Almost all of our banding and resighting work requires walking 1+ mile(s) over sandy beaches. For an in depth learning experience and a rewarding contribution to the project, volunteers are expected to volunteer for a minimum of 3 consecutive days. Field season begins May 12th and ends June 4th.
 
The Delaware Shorebird Project operates out of a field house in Prime Hook, DE during the busy field season. Limited floor space and tent camping space is available for volunteers who would like to stay overnight. Meals are provided for volunteers staying at the field house.
 
For more information and to apply, go to http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Shorebirds. Questions and completed applications can be sent to Audrey DeRose-Wilson at deshorebirds@gmail.com.
 
 
 
 

Field Ecology Research Internships

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Positions Available:
Ecology Field Research Interns

B4WARMED (Boreal Forest Warming at an Ecotone in Danger) is a manipulative experiment that warms simultaneously plants and soil and implements summer rainfall reduction in the field. Main goals of the project is to examine broadly defined ecological processes in a scope of warming and rainfall reduction. In particular, our work focuses on: soil processes, tree seedlings physiology, phenology, growth, and survival and other. For more
information: http://forestecology.cfans.umn.edu/Research/B4WARMED/.

Position overview:
We seek independent and mature field assistants with a background in biology, ecology, environmental science, forestry, or a related field for a paid field research internship ($10/hr). First round of open positions will start in late March/April; second round will start in midsummer and go until end of November. Start dates are flexible and up for negotiation. In general, an internship lasts about 4 months. Typical workdays are eight hours Monday through Friday; however, tasks may require early morning, evening, or weekend work. A valid driver’s license is required. The intern will work and travel mostly independently and occasionally in a pair or small group. Maturity to work autonomously and for long hours is required.

Responsibilities:
*       Work independently to collect biotic and abiotic data in field and
lab settings in accordance with established protocols
*       Measure seedling growth, germination, physiology, and phenology
*       Measure soil characteristics and microbe activity
*       Routine maintenance of field sites and research equipment.
*       Data entry using Excel and Google Drive
*       Travel frequently between sites
*       Employ experimental rainfall reduction treatment
*       Aiding principle investigators and graduate students as needed.

Desired qualifications: 1) Eagerness to work hard in an outdoor setting. 2) Capacity to collect data following established protocols. 3) Familiarity with plant and tree species of northern Minnesota. 4) Willingness to work well and live alone and/or with others in a remote area. 5) Demonstrated ability to work under changing weather conditions and with large swarms of insects. 6) Ability to adapt to a frequently changing schedule with frequent travel.

Research sites:
Field work will be split between research sites at the Cloquet Forestry Center in Cloquet, MN (http://cfc.cfans.umn.edu/) and the Hubachek Wilderness Research Center (https://cfc.cfans.umn.edu/facilities/hubachek)
near Ely, MN. Both research sites are in beautiful forested settings and provide access to the natural areas of northern Minnesota including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. An individual’s home base will be at either of these locations, though travel between sites will be required depending on project needs. University vehicles are used for such travel.
On-site housing with furnishing and a kitchen will be available.

Contact:
Please send cover letter (including available working dates), one-page resume, and contact information for two references electronically to:

Artur Stefanski
stefa066@umn.edu
University of Minnesota
1530 Cleveland Ave N. | St Paul, MN 55108 USA

Highest priority will be given to applicants possible start date before April 1.

Seasonal Field Technician Positions: Forest Ecology – Washington University in St. Louis

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SEASONAL FIELD TECHNICIAN POSITIONS: FOREST ECOLOGY Tyson Research Center Washington University in St. Louis

The Myers lab at Washington University in St. Louis (http://www.myersecologylab.com) seeks two seasonal field technicians to participate in two large-scale research projects at Washington University’s Tyson Research Center (http://tyson.wustl.edu): 1) a 35-year study of forest diversity and dynamics in a large-scale temperate forest plot that is part of the Smithsonian ForestGEO global network of forest research plots (http://www.forestgeo.si.edu); and 2) a landscape-scale experiment investigating the importance of plant functional traits in determining responses of plant diversity to environmental change (prescribed fire & soil-resource availability) and natural enemies (seed predators & herbivores). The technicians will develop skills and gain experience in: 1) field protocols for censuses of long-term forest plots, including plant identification, tree mapping, and measurements of growth and mortality; 2) data collection for large-scale field experiments, including surveys of plant community composition and functional traits across environmental gradients; 3) management of large data sets; and 4) mentoring of undergraduate and high school students in field research.

Position details: The positions are full-time, temporary positions (up to 6 months) with no benefits.
Wages will be commensurate with experience. The start dates are flexible, but ideally the positions would begin between April and May 2018. Successful applicants will need to secure their own housing in St. Louis or near Tyson Research Center (20 miles from campus). Located on the edge of the Ozarks ecoregion, Tyson Research Center is a 2000-acre field station dedicated to multi-scale research, teaching opportunities, and collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and levels of academic training.

Minimum requirements: Bachelors degree in a related field (e.g. biology, ecology, forestry) and experience in field research. Ideal candidates will have a strong interest in ecology, excellent teamwork skills, enjoy working outdoors under a range of conditions that include walking across steep terrain and hot/humid weather, and enthusiasm to learn new field skills.

To apply: Please combine the following into a single PDF file: 1) a cover letter describing your interest in this position, relevant past experience, start date availability, and contact information for three references including email addresses and phone numbers; and 2) a CV or resume. Application materials must be submitted electronically throughhttps://jobs.wustl.edu/ by entering the job ID number (39083) as a keyword under “Basic Search.” Review of applications will begin February 15 and continue until the positions are filled. Candidates are encouraged to e-mail Jonathan Myers (jamyers@wustl.edu) to indicate interest in the position as soon as possible using the subject line “Ecology Technician”.
Questions regarding the position can be directed to Jonathan Myers.

Job: Miami.FieldTechs.Taxonomists

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The Heffernan Lab at the Nicholas School at Duke University seeks 3-4
technical research assistants to conduct urban field sampling in the Miami,
FL this spring (~March-June). Duties will primarily include conducting
surveys of vegetation, insects, and birds in residential yards and local
parks.

Desired qualifications include any of the following: experience with field
work in urban environments; ability to identify plant, insects, and/or
birds of south Florida.

For more info and to apply: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/10749

Other: PortlandStateU.REU.PlantGenomics

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NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Plant Ecology and
Genomics (second posting ¡V updated)

We have funding for two enthusiastic students interested in enhancing
their research skills and experience in plant ecology, genomics, and
bioinformatics in the Cruzan lab at Portland State University in
Portland, Oregon.

Successful applicants will become part of a research team working on
dispersal and gene flow in upland prairie plants in Oregon and
Washington under pressure from climate change. Dispersal is critical for
colonization, gene flow, and range expansion ¡V it is one of the most
important but least understood aspects of the ecology of plants. Our
research utilizes genomic techniques to detect the effects of dispersal
over different spatial scales. This is an integrative research program
that includes field work, wet lab preparation of genomic DNA for
next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics processing of sequence data,
and analysis of patterns of gene flow using GIS and landscape genetic
methods. Students will be exposed to a wide range of methods and are
expected to develop an independent research project within the scope of
the larger research program. More information on our research is posted
on our lab web site: https://cruzanlab.weebly.com/.

Students will be fully supported for 10 to 12 weeks during the summer of
2018. Funding is provided from an REU supplement to our National Science
Foundation Macrosystems Biology grant. Housing will be provided on
campus along with a daily allowance for food and a $500 weekly stipend.
The start of the REU is negotiable with optimal start dates between May
1 and June 17.

To apply please email us an updated copy of your CV (including GPA) and
a short (one page) statement of your research interests and experience,
as well as goals for your education and career. Applicants should
arrange to have one or two faculty members provide a letter of
recommendation (email is fine). Students with experience in computer
programming and/or bioinformatics are encouraged to apply. Application
deadline is 20 February 2018. Feel free to email us with questions.

Pam Thompson, Postdoctoral Research Associate: thompson@pdx.edu

Mitch Cruzan, Principle Investigator: cruzan@pdx.edu

—

stream fish sampling crew leader

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Research Specialist II (Stream Sampling Crew Leader), UT Martin TEMP position – 180000004A Description

The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Martin is seeking a stream sampling field-crew leader for a four-month appointment. The position will support a project evaluating the effects of stream restoration on fish communities in west Tennessee.
Primary duties include:
* Supervision of two technicians under the guidance of the project’s primary investigators.
* Ensuring timely collection of data and completion of laboratory work.
* Coordinating and conducting stream habitat surveys and fish community collections.
* Maintenance and repair of field equipment as needed.
* Identifying and enumerating fish species in the field and laboratory.
* Managing an Access database, performing data entry, and data QA/QC.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
* BS in biology, stream/wildlife ecology or related field (e.g., environmental sciences).
* Experience conducting stream habitat surveys and fish community collections.
* Ability to quickly learn west TN fish fauna.
* Valid driver’s license.
* Ability to lift and carry 30 pounds in mud-bottom streams.
* Ability to work long hours (~10 hours) in hot and humid field conditions.

This is a temporary, non-exempt position for approximately four months (June – September).  Extension of the position is contingent on available funding. Low-cost housing (~$40/week) is available at the Reelfoot Lake Environmental Field Station or the applicant may find housing in Martin, TN. Research opportunities will be available to those interested.

Application Process:  Applicants must apply online at https://ut.taleo.net/careersection/ut_martin/jobdetail.ftl?
job=180000004A&tz=GMT-06%3A00 and attach to the application the
following:  a cover letter, resume, and two professional references.
Application Deadline:  Position will remain open until filled and all inquiries should be directed to Dr. Blanchard or Dr. Fore via email to Dr. Blanchard (tblanch@utm.edu; 731-884-7594) and Dr. Fore (jfore@tnc.org; 731-343-2004).
Pay Grade 36 – $12.98 per hour minimum hiirng rate, salary is comensurate with education and experience To view Annual Security & Fire Report – http://www.utm.edu/departments/publicsafety/index.php