MS position – waterfowl ecology: University of Nevada Reno

School: University of Nevada Reno

Location: Reno, Nevada

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Salary: $1500 month, 80% tuition waiver, and health insurance

Start Date: 01/01/2017

Last Date to Apply: 10/31/2016

 

Description:

     We have installed 150 geolocators on mallards, 83 on canvasbacks, and 180 on wood ducks since 2014. We will install another 50 on canvasbacks in February 2017 and efforts to retrieve geolocators will continue through time by bait trapping, nest box checks, rocket-netting, and contacting hunters. Analyses will occur using R and using packages such as SGAT, FlightR, and others. Most field work will occur in the Fallon, Nevada area approximately 60 miles east of Reno, Nevada. Field work will include banding February through October, and monitoring wood duck nesting boxes March through July to maintain a 14 year dataset on wood ducks. A good number of volunteers have cooperated each year to assist in field work. Analyses will include assessment of movement patterns, breeding propensity, and effects of carrying geolocators.
     Additional field work required will be to lead the Nevada Department of Wildlife pre-season mallard banding operation in August and September (~50 days annually). Additionally, this position will also lead the 5 day Nevada Department of Wildlife breeding waterfowl survey in May and to analyze the data for presentation to the Pacific Flyway Study Committee (total of ~50 hours annually). Housing during field season and a vehicle will be provided.

 

Qualifications:

     Requirements – A four-year degree in a wildlife program, experience capturing and banding waterfowl, ability to work independently, ability to conduct low level fixed wing surveys, and basic experience in analysis in SAS or R. An outgoing personality to maintain very positive relationships with private landowners and other wildlife professionals is mandatory. 

Supervision:

     This position will be co-advised by Dr. Chris Nicolai (Nevada Waterfowl Association) and Dr. Kevin Shoemaker (University of Nevada Reno). Russell Woolstenhulme (State Waterfowl Biologist; Nevada Department of Wildlife) will also be heavily involved in this effort.

How to apply:

    Please send a cover letter, resume, full undergraduate transcripts, GRE scores, and contact information for 3 references in a single pdf to chris.a.nicolai@gmail.com by October 31, 2016.

   This is a cooperative project between Nevada Waterfowl Association, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and University of Nevada Reno. For more information please contact: Chris Nicolai (chris.a.nicolai@gmail.com)

M.S.Research Assistantship: University of Houston Clear Lake – Texas

School: University of Houston Clear Lake

Location: Houston, Texas

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://www.uhcl.edu/home

Salary: $2000.00 month; 50% 9 months; 100% summer

Start Date: 01/15/2017

Last Date to Apply: 11/30/2016

 

Description:

    Excellent opportunities exist for new graduate students interested in freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecology. Several projects have already started or will begin immediately. These include: 

1) Statewide evaluation of the condition of reservoirs. 

2) Freshwater inflow study to estuaries

3) Ecology of native estuarine and freshwater fishes. 

    Individuals will be responsible for conducting applied research projects under direction of a graduate advisor in coastal and/or river, stream and reservoirs in Texas. Student will be responsible for learning and operating various field and laboratory methodologies such as: banding, telemetry, survey instruments, ADCP current meters, side scan sonar, aerial drones, electrofishing gear, nets and boats. Students will work with interdisciplinary team of scientists and fellow graduate students in sometimes remote locations. Campus is located in beautiful natural area adjacent to NASA and the Armand Bayou Nature Center, and five minutes from Galveston Bay and Clear Lake and thirty minutes from the Gulf of Mexico. Recruiting for RA starting spring 2017 session. Funding to support up to 3-5 M.S. students. Possibility of starting prior to January 2017 as intern. RA affiliated with the Environmental Institute of Houston http://prtl.uhcl.edu/environmental-institute.

 

Qualifications:

*Graduation from recognized accredited university with a B.S. degree in an appropriate field depending on research interest (e.g. fisheries, wildlife science, herpetology, aquatic/marine biology) with excellent academic credentials and letters of reference.
* Acceptance into graduate school in the Environmental Science Program at UHCL (M.S. Thesis Option)
* Ability to carry out strenuous field work.
* Depending on project: previous experience using boats, sampling gear, and taxonomic skills (e.g. plants, fish or aquatic invertebrates) a plus.
* Academic commitment to work on project fulltime and timely completion of project. 

    For more information please contact: George Guillen (guillen@uhcl.edu) 

PhD student opportunities in Ecology at Clemson University.

School: Clemson University

Location: Clemson, SC

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/clemsonbarrettlab/home

Salary: TBD

Start Date: 08/15/2017

Last Date to Apply: 10/30/2016

 

Description:

     The Barrett Lab at Clemson University is accepting applications for two PhD positions to start August 2017. Applicants should be self-motivated and also capable of working as part of a team. The ideal applicant will have substantial experience in ecology or conservation biology, as well as competencies in statistical analysis, technical writing, and GIS. Applicants with M.S. degrees (or degrees that will be completed by the start date) are preferred. The projects associated with these positions are flexible, but will likely focus on the vulnerability of amphibians and reptiles to large-scale stressors such as land use change, climate change, or invasive species.
     These positions could be based in either Biological Sciences or Forestry and Environmental Conservation, depending upon funding availability and the student’s background. The students will be supported predominately by a Teaching Assistantship, so prior teaching experience is desired.

 

Qualifications:

      Desired qualifications include: Prior field experience, prior teaching experience, M.S. degree, background in statistical analyses and GIS, 3.0 GPA or higher, combined verbal and quantitative GRE score of 314 or higher.

To apply:

     Please submit:

(1) A cover letter explaining your interest in the position, your qualifications, and any specific research areas you hope to pursue at Clemson.

(2) A CV. Please be sure to include your GPA (undergrad and graduate), GRE scores, and contact information for three references somewhere within your CV. 

Documents should be submitted via email to rbarre2@clemson.edu as a single PDF file with the subject heading “PhD application”. Applications must be received by October 30, 2016 to receive full consideration. For more information please contact: Kyle Barrett (rbarre2@clemson.edu).

Graduate Student (MS) Position: Value of Urban Natural Areas – Colorado State University.

School: Colorado State University

Location: Fort Collins, CO

Job Category: Graduate Assistantships

Website: http://cd.colostate.edu

Salary: ~$1,800 per month

Start Date: 01/17/2017

Last Date to Apply: 10/14/2016

 

Description:

     This study will take place in partnership with the City of Fort Collins’ innovative Nature in the City initiative (http://www.fcgov.com/natureinthecity/), which envisions “a connected open space network accessible to the entire community that provides a variety of experiences for people and functional habitats for plants and wildlife.” In collaboration with faculty and research scientists at Colorado State University (CSU), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and environmental planners at the City of Fort Collins, this study will combine citizen science with social and ecological research to examine the value of urban natural areas for biodiversity and human well-being. This project is designed to support rapidly growing communities in making evidence-based conservation and development decisions.
     The graduate student will be responsible for coordinating an ongoing citizen science project and conducting complementary social and ecological studies. To date, the project has focused on birds and butterflies; however, including additional taxonomic groups will also be possible. The graduate student will be co-advised by Dr. Liba Pejchar (CSU) and Dr. Sarah Reed (WCS). S/he will work collaboratively with the PIs on study design and implementation, will take the lead on data analysis and writing, and will also have access to social and ecological data collected in prior years of the study. Funding is pending, and it will include salary (~$1,800/month) and tuition for the 2-year duration of the student’s degree program, with 1-2 semesters as a graduate teaching assistant. 

Qualifications

     We invite applications from prospective graduate students, with an anticipated start date of January 2017. Highly-qualified applicants will have an undergraduate degree with an excellent GPA (>3.3) in Ecology, Conservation Biology, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, or a closely-related field. Competitive applicants should have demonstrated interest and experience in urban ecosystems and interdisciplinary approaches to conservation problem-solving. Excellent communication skills are required, including the ability to converse with a diversity of citizens, manage volunteers, and coordinate with land managers and private landowners. Experience conducting point counts, butterfly surveys, vegetation measurements, and social surveys is also desirable, but not required. All applicants must have a strong work ethic, be organized, have the ability to work independently and with others, and be able to meet the physical requirements of the position (rising early, carrying equipment, hiking across uneven terrain). A valid driver’s license and good driving record are required. Please see the admission requirements of CSU’s Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (http://ecology.colostate.edu/prospective.aspx) for more details.

To Apply:
    Please send the following as a single, merged pdf document: 

1) 1-2 page cover letter describing your qualifications, relevant experience, and career goals.

2) 2-3 page résumé or CV.

3) A list of three professional references and their contact information. 

The name of the file should contain the first and last name of the applicant. Please send applications via email to: MSUrbanNaturalAreas@gmail.com. Review of applications will begin on October 14th and will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. For more information please contact: Sarah Reed (MSUrbanNaturalAreas@gmail.com).