Research Assistant, Fire and Restoration Ecology Public Lands Institute The Public Lands Institute at the University of Nevada Las Vegas invites applications for a full-time Research Assistant position to carry out research on an interagency Joint Fire Science project in collaboration with the National Park Service (Lake Mead National Recreation Area) and the Bureau of Land Management (Las Vegas Field Office). The position will be based primarily at UNLV but also at National Park Service offices in Boulder City, Nevada. This is a full-time, externally funded position with two years of funding and with benefits. The project will focus on identifying successful native species suitable for revegetating desert burns in the Mojave Desert. The West is burning up, and currently little information is available to resource managers on techniques for revegetating burns and on native species that can establish on burns infested by exotic annual grasses. The project will involve a mix of controlled experiments and field studies. This project is a good fit for candidates interested in fire ecology, plant ecology, and restoration ecology, and their application to making progress on an urgent resource management problem. The project was recently featured in a news release on the UNLV website: http://publicaffairs.unlv.edu/newsArchive-PublicAffairs.html (June 2007)
Las Vegas is a large urban area, but is surrounded by millions of hectares of public land. Public lands accessible in less than a 45-minute drive from Las Vegas include the 600,000-ha Lake Mead National Recreation Area (National Park Service), 80,000-ha Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (Bureau of Land Management), 600,000-ha Desert National Wildlife Refuge (Fish and Wildlife Service), and the 130,000-ha Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (Forest Service). Plant communities span desert creosote scrub to high-elevation bristlecone pine forests. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound year round. Responsibilities: The successful candidate will conduct research in collaboration with UNLV co-PIs on the project, federal resource managers with NPS and BLM, and where appropriate with other Research Assistants in our vegetation program. Specific research responsibilities will include growing native plants for experiments, establishing and maintaining experimental native communities in greenhouse and field settings, conducting field studies and monitoring of plant community establishment on desert burns in southern Nevada, and measuring competitive interactions and invasibility of native communities and exotic species control treatments. The candidate also will be expected to author or co-author peer-reviewed publications and technical reports targeted for resource managers, to provide support for gathering literature and technical writing, and to prepare or assist in the preparation of scholarly presentations at professional meetings and conferences. The position requires intermittent local travel to research sites in southern Nevada within approximately one hour of Las Vegas. Minimum Required Qualifications: Masters degree from an accredited college or university in botany, ecology, biology, natural resources management, or a closely related field, with course work in plant taxonomy, plant identification, plant ecology or weed science. A minimum of one year comparable experience in related fieldwork and demonstrated knowledge of plant taxonomy and plant identification is required. Working knowledge of major native and exotic species of the southwestern United States may be substituted for plant taxonomy. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and GPS/GIS required, in addition to knowledge of accurate data processing and manipulating, as demonstrated by successful examples from thesis work or professional employment. Ability to obtain a Nevada drivers license required. The candidate must be able to perform fieldwork in the hot, desert climate and rough terrain of southern Nevada to accomplish project objectives. Preferred Qualifications: A field-based or experimental thesis project that focused on vegetation; four-wheel drive experience; experience in field orientation (i.e., navigation with map and compass); interest or experience in writing scientific manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals or other outlets; interest or experience in restoration ecology and supporting the application of ecologically based management prescriptions on the ground; and familiarity with southwestern desert ecosystems. Desired Characteristics: Ability to work as a team member; excellent writing, interpersonal communication, and organizational skills; ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships among diverse groups of people; ability to analyze situations and data trends and apply to job responsibilities; self-motivation; interest in scholarly activity and publications; familiarity with land management agencies; and an affinity for the outdoors. Review of applications will commence on August 27, 2007, and will continue until the position is filled. The position is contingent upon external funding and must be renewed annually. Salary competitive and contingent upon job market. Applications: Application materials must include a 1) cover letter, 2) current and complete resume, and 3) the name, address, telephone, and e-mail address of 3 professional references. In the cover letter, which should be no more than one single-spaced page, applicants should summarize qualifications and experience as they relate to this position, since the initial review will serve to evaluate applicants based on documented, relevant qualifications and work experience. Materials should be addressed to Dr. Scott R. Abella, Search Committee Chair, Public Lands Institute, and are to be submitted via on-line application only at https://hrsearch.unlv.edu. For assistance with UNLVs on-line applicant portal, contact Jen Martens at (702) 895-2894 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more information, see Dr. Abellas website (http://faculty.unlv.edu/abellas2/), the UNLV website (http://www.unlv.edu), or the Public Lands Institute website (http://publiclands/unlv.edu). UNLV is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to achieving excellence through diversity.