Graduate Research Assistant Position

 Graduate Student Position for Landowner Survey on Wildlife Management

Description: The University of Maryland Extension is seeking a graduate student to assist in conducting research of private landowner knowledge and actions related to wildlife and habitat conservation. The purpose of this project is to inform future educational and extension initiatives related to wildlife conservation. Because 92% of Maryland's land area is under private ownership, wildlife and habitat conservation in the state relies heavily on the actions of private landowners. The graduate student will work with the principal investigator, Dr. Luke Macaulay, and a postdoctoral researcher in implementing the project.

 

The graduate student will be focused on the implementation of the survey, analysis, and publishing results. A significant amount of preparation and design work for the survey has been completed, including conducting focus group meetings, establishing a state-wide sample of landowners with both addresses and emails, and pre-testing and piloting the questionnaire. The student will be able to draw on this work in making final adjustments to the survey. The survey will consist of both written and electronic delivery of the survey to maximize response and minimize bias.

 

Duties and Responsibilities: In collaboration with the PI and a postdoctoral researcher with experience in surveys the graduate student will be able to:

 

• Assist in design and implementation of both email and paper versions of the survey.
• Experiment with various approaches in survey design and administration to maximize participation and response rate.
• Supervise digitization of data (for paper surveys) drawing upon a team of undergraduate research assistants.
• Monitor survey responses to identify problems in the survey and correct them.
• Contribute as a co-author in writing a scientific journal article for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

 

Preferred Skills:

 

• Ability to work independently and research best practices to improve survey design, administration, and analysis, and bring findings to the team for discussion.
• Knowledge of approaches to increasing response rate, reducing survey error and bias, and controlling for other methodological issues that could affect landowner interest and participation in a study focused on wildlife and conservation.
• Knowledge and experience in quantitative data analysis methods, preferably in R or Python.
• Strong writing skills for drafting materials to be published in peer-reviewed literature and other publications. Co-authorship is welcome and encouraged.
• Experience with creative data visualization.

 

 

Stipend and Dates of Employment:

 

This position is flexible in its administrative structure and can be filled as either an hourly graduate student position, or as an Academic Graduate Research Assistantship (either half-time or full-time GA) depending on experience. The position is for  January 2023 until December 2023, with a possibility to extend the position. We have support to include full time employment for summer of 2023.

 

To apply:

 

Please send a cover letter and resume to Dr. Luke Macaulay at lukemac@umd.edu by December 2, 2022.  We plan to conduct interviews in early December and start the position in January.

PhD Position - Bat Ecology

 The Ohio University Bat Lab is seeking a highly motivated student for a Ph.D. research assistantship. The position is fully funded and will begin in the fall 2021. Our lab focuses on mammal ecology and conservation, with a focus on bats. Our goals are to promote species conservation and to mentor the next generation of mammalogists through research, sound stewardship, and public outreach. To those ends, our students use a diverse set of tools in the field and in the lab to ask questions about bat ecology and physiology in Ohio and beyond.

A Ph.D. student is currently needed to lead a study of bat winter ecology and habitat management in Ohio. The student’s primary duties will be to conduct winter surveys throughout the state, deploy and manage environmental dataloggers, maintain a novel monitoring system, and provide management recommendations based on the data collected. The ideal candidate will be able to build upon the funded project to create their own research questions as part of their doctoral training. Additional duties may include harp trapping and radio-telemetry, and candidates with background working with bats are strongly encouraged to apply.

A strong work ethic and passion for biology is required. Experience with bats is preferred, but exceptions are possible for candidates with other highly sought-after skill sets. Candidates with a master’s degree in a biology-related field are desired, but exceptional students with bachelor’s degrees will be considered. Regardless of the highest degree achieved, applicants must have experience working in the field, a fundamental understanding of bat winter ecology, and a strong background in statistical software such as R. Because the student will often work with DIY electronics, confidence with working with tools, electronics, and computers are strongly desired.

This is a funded position that includes salary, tuition, and benefits. Information on how to apply to the graduate program at Ohio University are online at https://www.ohio.edu/cas/biology/graduate. Applications must be received by January 8^th. Interested applicants must email their CV and a letter of interest to Dr. Joseph Johnson (jjohnson@ohio.edu) prior to applying. Informal interviews will be conducted ASAP.

Graduate research position

The University of Wisconsin –Madison

Grassland 2.0 PhD/MS position: policy and social research for transitions to perennial grasslands

Qualifications:

A BS degree in agriculture, environmental studies, geography, planning, political science, sociology, public policy and administration, natural resources, forestry, wildlife ecology, or other related discipline is required. Experience with social science research or policy is required. Essential skills include strong English writing, verbal communication and ability to work independently and in a team. Work experience in agriculture, environmental conservation, or public policy with companies, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations is desired. Preference for a student seeking a PhD.

This project will be housed with the Rissman PIE lab (http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/rissman/) in the Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology which offers a Forestry PhD degree which is flexible enough to include agroforestry (http://www.fwe.wisc.edu). Students would also have the option to enroll through the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. The Nelson Institute requires students to have a Master’s degree at the time of the application or begin with a Master’s program and then transition into a PhD. Agroecology offers a MS but not PhD option.

Description:

Prof. Adena is hiring a PhD/MS student to begin in Summer or Fall 2020 or Spring 2021 with the funded Grassland 2.0 Sustainable Agricultural Systems project. The person in this position would join a transdisciplinary team to conduct research on agricultural and environmental policy on transitions to grazing, grassland and savannah. This position would work closely with other social and ecological scientists, policymakers, farmers, and other stakeholders. The position will be supervised by Dr. Adena Rissman who directs the PIE lab: People, Institutions, and Ecosystems.

This project develops options for helping shifts to grazing-based approaches in dairy and beef operations managed in pasture and agroforestry. We propose a range of options from cover crops and prairie strips to farm transformations. We aim to analyze how shifts to grass-based livestock could restore much of the ecosystem structure and function of the native prairie along with superior profitability, nutrient and water efficiency, and yield stability. The project has study areas in the Yahara Watershed and Driftless Area of Wisconsin and at the scale of the 10-state North Central Region of the United States.

The researcher in this position would be responsible for research on governance of agriculture and environment with a focus on transitions to perennial grass-based agricultural systems. Research topics could include:

• stakeholder perspectives on intervention points and barriers to grassland transitions,
• policy barriers and opportunities for reform,
• governance networks that shape barriers and opportunities for transition to grass-based agriculture, and
• policy in place from the lived experience of farmers and policy implementers.

The research would draw on transdisciplinary policy and governance approaches to examine institutions and collective action. It will rely on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods across scales. The person in this position would also work with the Grassland 2.0 policy and governance subgroup to help develop specific government, industry, and civil society options for incentivizing transitions to perennial cover.

Application Process:

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. The position to open to both US citizen and international candidates. If you have questions before applying, please email Adena Rissman (adena.rissman@wisc.edu).

Interested applicants are asked to e-mail the documents listed below to Adena Rissman (adena.rissman@wisc.edu) (in ONE PDF file please). Selected applicants will then be asked to apply officially to the UW.

• The Forest and Wildlife Departmental graduate application cover sheet (even if you intend to apply for a PhD through the Nelson Institute) http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/rissman/files/2018/12/CoverSheet_Fall2019.pdf
• Cover letter outlining your interest in and qualification for the position
• Resume or CV
• GRE scores if available
• Names and contact addresses of three references

PhD Research Assistantship
Winter Bat Activity and Habitat Relationships at UGA

Website:  https://www.warnell.uga.edu/

Description:
We are seeking a highly motivated graduate student to investigate landscape-level influences on winter bat activity and habitat relationships on managed forest lands of the southeastern Coastal Plain. The overall goal of the research is to develop widely-applicable predictive models of winter bat community assemblages and generalized habitat associations based on landscape characteristics in managed forest systems. Primary duties will include assessing bat habitat relationships and activity using acoustic sampling, mist netting, and habitat characterization in the field and using GIS. The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop additional research questions related to winter bat ecology.

The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (http://www.warnell.uga.edu/) has >70 faculty working in diverse fields and provides exemplary training of students in the fields of fisheries, forestry, natural resource management, recreation and tourism, wildlife. The School has >23,000 acres in the state for research, teaching, and service activities, including the 700-acre Whitehall Forest near campus. The University of Georgia is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.

Qualifications:
Applicants must have an M.S. in wildlife biology or closely related field, strong academic credentials, and previous experience working with bats. Desirable skills and experience include acoustic field sampling and call identification; mist netting and bat identification; proficiency using GPS and GIS; and knowledge of statistical modeling. Candidates must have a strong work ethic and the ability to successfully supervise field technicians. Field work will involve traveling away from campus for extended periods.

NABat postdoc position
Colorado State University

The Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Colorado State University seeks an outstanding early career scientist to evaluate bat monitoring efforts based on the North American Bat Monitoring Program.

The postdoc will develop status and trends population models integrating existing acoustic data from legacy mobile transects with data collected following NABat acoustic monitoring protocols and environmental covariates that account for large-scale system changes. These models will be used to generate maps of species distributions and evaluate changes in activity of bat species in White-Nose Syndrome (WNS)-free regions. The outcome of this work will be to establish baseline information regionally that will help us to better understand the impacts of WNS and inform monitoring strategies for WNS.

To apply and view a full position announcement please visit: http://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/65627 by April 7, 2019, 11:59 pm (MT) for full consideration.

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer and conducts background checks on all final candidates.

M.S. position in Biology
Arkansas State University

Eastern small-footed bat day-roost distribution

Description:

The R2 Lab is inviting applications for a graduate position in the Biology program at Arkansas State University. The overall goal of the project is to determine the distribution of roost preferences of a rare bat species in Arkansas, the eastern small-footed bat (Myotis leibii). The objectives are (1) to create a GIS layer of habitat features, particularly for talus slopes, rocky outcrops, and boulder fields of the Ouachita Mountains, (2) determine the presence of the species in the region, and (3) quantify the relative influence of habitat and landscape features on the probability of occupancy of the species.

The position starts January 1, 2019. The successful applicant is expected to interact with USFS, collect data over two seasons (May-August 2019 and 2020), analyze the data, and present results in peer-reviewed manuscript(s) and at scientific meetings. He/she will be supported through a combined research (53%) and teaching (47%) assistantship.

Qualifications:
Applicants must have a B.S. in wildlife ecology or related field with ≥ 3.0 GPA. Talus slopes and boulder fields that are not all easily accessible from the road involve hiking steep slopes for substantial distances. Therefore, applicants should also be in excellent physical condition. Applicants with GIS and field experience (mist-netting, bat handling, and acoustics) will be given preference.

Application documents:

Please send the following documents to Dr. Virginie Rolland (vrolland@astate.edu) by October 5, 2018:

1) letter of intent
2) CV
3) unofficial transcripts
4) GRE scores
5) contact information of at least two references

Contacts:
For more information, you may contact either Dr. Virginie Rolland (vrolland@astate.edu; 870-972-3194) or Dr. Tom Risch (trisch@astate.edu; 870-972-3333).

Anthropology Graduate Program at Notre Dame

The Anthropology graduate program at Notre Dame is committed to the richness and diversity of the discipline, building bridges between various humanistic and scientific approaches. With the research expertise in their department, the four-field graduate program is a very attractive option for graduate students. They accept between 5 and 8 graduate students each year, with each accepted student receiving full funding for five years (which includes a competitive stipend, conference travel, as well as summer funding). All students who graduate within five years are provided a fully paid post-doctoral research/teaching position (teaching one class per term) where students can hone their teaching skills and submit publications while applying for jobs (https://5plus1.nd.edu/).

More detailed information about our program and funding can be found at http://anthropology.nd.edu/and http://anthropology.nd.edu/graduate-program/.

Applications are due on December 1, 2017.
An open house will be held Friday, October 6, 2017.