Multiple PhD Positions in Ecological Genomics beginning Spring 2019 As part of a new, collaborative NSF-funded research and training program in the genomic ecology of coastal organisms, the Universities of Maine and New Hampshire seek a cohort of up to five new PhD students who will study genome-phenome relationships in the wild. All students will conduct both field work and genomic analyses towards understanding adaptation and fitness associations in several species of tidal marsh sparrows (see further details below). Field work during summer months may involve supervising field crews in tidal marshes across the Northeast US, from Maine to Virginia. Genomic analyses may include whole-genome sequencing, candidate gene sequencing, gene expression analyses, meta-barcoding, and microbiome characterization. All students will have the opportunity to work in collaboration with a diverse team of investigators, graduate students, and undergraduate students at both institutions.
Two students will be based primarily at the University of Maine-- Orono, an hour to the ocean and an hour and a half to Maine’s highest peak. 1. Ecological genomics of sparrow plumage: One PhD student will be co-advised by Drs. Kristina Cammen (http://cammenlab.org) and Brian Olsen (https://sbe.umaine.edu/olsen-2/) through the Ecology and Environmental Sciences program at the University of Maine. This student will investigate adaptation and the links between plumage phenotypes (color, resilience to wear, and microbiomes) and reproductive fitness across sparrow species. For more information, or to apply, please contact: kristina.cam...@maine.edu and brian.ol...@maine.edu 2. Ecological genomics of kidney function: One PhD student will be advised by Dr. Benjamin King (https://umaine.edu/biomed/home/faculty/benjamin-king/) through the Molecular and Biomedical Sciences program at the University of Maine. The student will research genes and pathways under selection in tidal marsh sparrow species with greater salinity tolerance using comparative genomics, population genomics and transcriptomics. For more information, or to apply, please contact: benjamin.l.k...@maine.edu. Three students will be based primarily at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH, 30 minutes from the ocean and less than two hours from the White Mountains. Students will be enrolled in the Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science (NRESS) program (https://www.unh.edu/nressphd) and will be advised by Dr. Adrienne Kovach (http://www.kovachlab.com). Students will conduct research in the following three focus areas: 1) Genetic underpinnings of nesting adaptations and links between nesting traits, including the timing of nest initiation, candidate genes for circadian rhythms, and reproductive fitness across sparrow species; 2) Parallel evolution – this student will investigate broadscale genotype-phenotype and genotype-environment relationships in relation to tidal marsh adaptations for six sparrow species sampled across an environmental and geographic gradient; and 3) Diet and eco-evolutionary feedbacks – this student will study variation in sparrow diets using meta- barcoding of fecal samples and the linkages with fitness and the trophic impacts on the marsh; this student will also work closely with Drs. Serita Frey (UNH) and Mike Kinnison (UMaine). To apply, or for more information, contact adrienne.kov...@unh.edu. Qualifications: Successful candidates must have a strong background in ecology and/or genomics. Preferred candidates will have demonstrated experience with field work, in particular, bird mist-netting (previous time as a federal banding sub-permittee strongly preferred), as well as experience in genetics, genomics, and/or bioinformatics. Consistent with our program scope and to advance an integrated understanding of adaptation in nature, we are especially interested in candidates who show promise to work in an inclusive and diverse collaborative environment and to engage intellectually across the diverse scales of genomes, phenomes, and environmental feedbacks. Individuals who are intellectually curious, responsible, willing to learn, team-oriented, and have attention to detail are encouraged to apply. An M.S. in a related field is preferred, but qualified candidates with extensive experience will be considered. How to apply: Please send a cover letter describing your qualifications, including your commitment to diversity and inclusion in collaborative science, a curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts, and the contact information for at least three references to the contacts listed above for each position for which you would like to be considered. Please use “Ecological Genomics PhD Student Search” as the subject line of your email. All applications received before November 14, 2018 will receive full consideration, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis thereafter until the positions are filled. A start date of January 2019 is strongly preferred, but is negotiable depending on the position in question. The Universities of Maine and New Hampshire Systems are both EEO/AA employers, and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. Please contact the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 N. Stevens Hall, Orono, ME 04469 at 207-581-1226 (voice), TTY 711 (Maine Relay System), or equal.opportun...@maine.edu, or the Affirmative Action and Equity Office, Thompson Hall 305, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824-3547 at 603-862-2930 (voice), TTY: (603) 862-1527 • Relay NH: 7-1-1, or affirmaction.equ...@unh.edu with questions or concerns.
