M.S. opportunity: Status of reintroduced river otter in New York State
We are seeking applicants for a M.S. assistantship under the direction of
Dr. Jacqueline Frair and Dr. Paul Schuette at the SUNY ESF Roosevelt Wild
Life Station in Syracuse, NY. The student’s research will focus on
assessing the distribution and status of river otter throughout western and
central NY State, and developing an efficient methodology for long-term
population monitoring in partnership with the NY State Department of
Environmental Conservation. Otter were reintroduced throughout western NY
in the late 1990s from source populations in the Adirondack and Catskill
Mountains of eastern NY. This research will be the first comprehensive
assessment of the success of that reintroduction program, contributing
important information to the developing statewide otter management plan.
Position to start January or August 2016.
Required Qualifications: Applicants must have completed a B.S. degree in
wildlife ecology or equivalent by December 2015, maintained a high GPA, and
achieved strong GRE scores. Strong skills in statistics, Geographic
Information Systems, and written and oral communications required.
Applicants must be able to hike or showshoe long distances carrying a heavy
pack under inclement weather conditions. Candidate must hold a valid
driver’s license and have a safe driving record.
Preferred Qualifications: Strong interest in population monitoring methods.
Familiarity with methods used to estimate species occupancy desired.
Experience with genetic lab procedures, diet analyses, and aquatic sampling
advantageous.
Location and Funding: The graduate student will be based on-campus at SUNY
ESF in the Department of Forest and Environmental Biology with extended
field visits as required. A field vehicle and rustic accommodations will be
provided when fieldwork is in progress (no pets allowed). Two years of
salary, benefits and tuition provided as a combination of research and
teaching assistantships with continuation contingent upon available funding.
Application Details: Please send a 1-2 page letter of interest, CV, copy of
your GRE scores and undergraduate transcripts (unofficial is fine for
initial application), and contact information for 3 references. Please copy
all materials into a single attachment and email to Dr. Paul Schuette at
[email protected] with the subject line “river otter application”. All
application materials must be received by Friday, September 25 for full
consideration.
