Rice University Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Research Assistant I Community Ecology & Aquatic Ecology
The Rudolf lab (http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~volker.rudolf/ )in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Rice University has one opening for a full-time Research Assistant I position beginning June 1st. The responsibilities include managing experiments in the areas of ecology and evolutionary biology in both field and laboratory conditions, conducting surveys in local field populations, identifying aquatic organisms, maintaining laboratory populations, and general lab maintenance. The applicant would be involved in all aspects of field and laboratory work that evaluates the ecology of aquatic food webs. The assistant will also supervise undergraduates working in the lab, so strong communication skills and leadership abilities are essential. Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree or higher in ecology, evolutionary biology, biology, or a related field is required by the start date; a working knowledge of scientific practices; and the ability to operate, maintain, trouble-shoot and resolve ordinary problems with lab instruments and equipment is required and work and solve problems independently. Desirable experience and skills: Preferred applicants will have a Master’s degree in the fields listed above; research experience with zooplankton, invertebrates, or amphibians or more generally in freshwater ponds; ability to identify animals from pond samples; experience to care for and maintain amphibians and zooplankton; experience conducting wild pond surveys; the ability to maintain laboratory and outdoor experiments, especially in lentic habitats; and use of standard equipment in an aquatic laboratory, good quantitative skills including experimental design & statistics.
