Institution: Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames (http://www.nrem.iastate.edu/) Responsibilities: We are looking for a highly motivated graduate student to join a collaborative study led by Drs. Clay Pierce, Kevin Roe, and Michael Weber evaluating restored oxbows as habitats for Topeka shiners, plains topminnows and other fish species of greatest conservation need in Iowa and southwest Minnesota. The student will conduct GIS analyses to prioritize oxbow restoration locations, conduct species distribution modeling, and provide occasional field assistance to other project members. The student will inventory and analyze known locations of Topeka shiners and plains topminnows, land use in the study areas, and potential habitats in a spatially explicit GIS environment. GIS approaches such as Minnesota’s Watershed Health Assessment Framework and habitat-based occupancy models will be used to characterize potential of habitats for supporting the two species and to identify potential restoration sites at a landscape scale. The student will work with university colleagues and mentors, state and federal agencies (e.g., Iowa DNR, MN DNR, USFWS) and nonprofit organizations (e.g., Nature Conservancy), supervise assistants, compile databases, conduct analyses, write annual progress reports, and carry out other duties as needed. Completion of the research project will serve as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a M.S. degree from Iowa State University. Other requirements include satisfactory completion of coursework and submission of manuscripts for publication.
Qualifications: B.S. degree in geography, GIS, natural resources, conservation biology, ecology, environmental science, or related field. Coursework and experience with GIS and landscape ecology is required. Coursework or comparable experience with habitat analysis, habitat modeling, occupancy modeling, streams and stream fishes is beneficial. Applicants with demonstrated strength in written and oral communication, analytical skills, and strong academic credentials are preferred. Applicants should be highly motivated, demonstrate a strong work ethic, be physically capable and willing to occasionally work in demanding outdoor conditions, and possess a valid driver’s license. Anticipated start date: January 2016 Salary/Benefits: ~$21,500/year, benefits and partial tuition waiver Contact: Send pre-application (cover letter, résumé, copies of transcripts and GRE scores, and contact information of 3 references) electronically to Dr. Clay Pierce (cpie...@iastate.edu), Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University.
