MS or PhD Assistantship – Alligator Snapping Turtles – Mississippi: University of Southern Mississippi

Agency: University of Southern Mississippi

Location: Hattiesburg, MS

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://www.usm.edu/biological-sciences

Salary: Annual stipend of $15,000 (MS) or $18,000 (PhD) plus tuition waiver & medical insurance

Start Date: 01/17/2017

Last Date to Apply: 10/15/2016

 

Description: I am seeking a PhD or MS student to conduct a multi-year trapping survey to assess the geographic distribution and relative abundance of alligator snapping turtles throughout river systems in Mississippi. The student will develop a thesis/dissertation that not only includes survey results on the species’ distribution and abundance, but also other aspects of its biology, including population genetics. This project is an opportunity to extensively survey, over multiple field seasons, for alligator snapping turtles throughout Mississippi’s river systems. Depending on the student’s interests and background, additional related studies will be developed, taking full advantage of the opportunity to work so extensively with this rarely encountered and little studied species of conservation concern.

 

Qualification: Applicants must have a BS or MS in ecology/environmental biology, zoology, wildlife biology, or other relevant areas. GPA and GRE scores must be competitive for admission to the graduate program. Prior experience with the safe operation of small motorboats and with trapping of aquatic turtles (especially chelydrids) is preferred but not required. Willingness and ability to work independently under potentially challenging field conditions is a must.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the position is filled. To apply, please send the following in a single PDF file: cover letter, resume or CV, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores, and contact information for three references to Carl Qualls, Carl.Qualls@usm.edu. Also address any inquiries about the position to the same address. A start date of January 2017 is anticipated, but a summer 2017 start may be possible, if necessary.

 

Contact Person: Carl Qualls

Contact Email: Carl.Qualls@usm.edu

 

Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship: Succession in Freshwater Fish and/or Invertebrate Communities: University of Alabama

School: University of Alabama

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://bama.ua.edu/~jghoweth/index.html

Salary: Competitive with health benefits

Start Date: 05/15/2017

Last Date to Apply: 12/05/2016

 

Description: The Howeth Lab (http://bama.ua.edu/~jghoweth/index.html) in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alabama invites applications for one or two Ph.D. students in community ecology beginning January, May, or August 2017 (January or May start-date applicants will receive priority). Highly motivated and qualified students with a B.S. or M.S. in Biology/Ecology are sought to conduct studies to understand the role of succession in metacommunity and food web structure using replicate successional pond mosaics. Projects will focus on fish, macroinvertebrate, and/or zooplankton community composition and ecosystem properties among beaver-formed ponds in different stages of succession. This work will utilize field-based approaches in the streams and beaver ponds of the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, including the NSF NEON Domain 8 core site. The project will also involve dendrochronology, GIS, stable isotope analyses, and experiments at the University of Alabama Tanglewood Biological Station. This is a NSF-funded research project.

Applicants with a strong background in related research topics and venues are particularly encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will be dedicated students who are highly motivated to conduct research in the field and in a laboratory environment. Students will be funded on teaching and research assistantships, which include a competitive stipend, health insurance, and a tuition waiver. Highly qualified applicants will be considered for departmental Aquatic Biology Fellowships, which offer a research assistantship during the student’s first year.

 

Qualifications: B.S. or M.S. in Biology/Ecology. Interested students should send an e-mail to Dr. Jennifer Howeth (jghoweth@ua.edu) no later than November 1 with "Graduate Assistantship" in the title, and include a (1) cover letter, (2) CV, (3) statement of research interests and experience, (4) scientific writing sample (e.g., laboratory report, thesis, manuscript), (5) GRE scores (if available), (6) unofficial copies of transcripts, and (7) contact information for two references in biology/ecology.

Qualified applicants will be invited to apply to the Department of Biological Sciences by the December 5, 2016 departmental deadline for Summer or Fall 2017 admission. Those interested in a January 2017 start date will be invited to apply by mid-fall 2016.

 

Contact Person: Jennifer Howeth

Contact Email: jghoweth@ua.edu

 

MS Research Assistantship (Fisheries): Tennessee

School: Tennessee Technological University

Location: Cookeville, TN

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://www.coopunits.org/Tennessee/

Salary: Annual stipend of $15,400 and full waiver of tuition and fees

Start Date: 01/09/2017

Last Date to Apply: 11/01/2016

 

Description: Conduct field sampling and modeling research on Asian Carp in Tennessee reservoirs. The student will develop a thesis describing relative densities of Silver and Bighead Carp in impoundments in the lower Tennessee and Cumberland rivers; use occupancy modeling methods to estimate detection probabilities of sampling gears for helping determine the leading edge of Asian Carp invasion in Tennessee.

 

Qualification: B.S. in fisheries science, aquatic ecology, or related field. GPA > 3.0 and competitive GRE scores required. Send cover letter, resume, list of three references, and unofficial copies of transcripts and GRE scores to Mark Rogers, mwrogers@tntech.edu

 

Contact Person: Mark Rogers

Contact Email: mwrogers@tntech.edu