[ECOLOG-L] 2 Research Aid 1 Technicians (wildlife) with the University of Washington
POSITION INFORMATION: 2 Research Aid 1 Technicians (wildlife) with the University of Washington (fieldwork to be conducted along the Columbia River, near the John Day dam, Oregon/Washington border) Start and end dates: May 2017 to end of July 2017, with a possible extension to September 2017 Salary: $15/hour Project description: Conduct a comprehensive inventory of wildlife species (mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) at two sites – one along the Columbia River near the John Day dam and one at the Willow Creek dam project area. The mammal surveys will use a combination of motion-activated camera trapping and live trapping for capture-mark-recapture (CMR) analysis to detect and enumerate both small and large species. Accordingly, applicants must be familiar with small mammal trapping and identifying species, and preference will be given to those who are familiar with taxa of the Pacific Northwest. To survey for reptiles and amphibians, we will use a combination of techniques, including nocturnal call surveys (recording sound at sample points and later identifying the species). Accordingly, preference will be given to applicants who are familiar with using herpetofaunal calls to identify species. Technicians will also use visual encounter surveys and roadkill/ basking surveys to identify species and estimate abundance. This work supports a larger project for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Duties: Applicant should be responsible, organized and motivated. Field work will involve navigating and hiking across rugged terrain to field sites while carrying heavy equipment (e.g., live traps and cameras). During periods without field work, efforts will be focused on data entry and identifying wildlife species in camera-trap photos. Cameras will be deployed at the beginning of the field season and then checked regularly. Small-mammal trapping will occur in the early morning (6:00 AM - 10:00 AM) and again in the early evening (4:00 PM - 8:00 PM) to ensure small mammal safety. Requirements: Applicants must have experience handling small-mammals, working with small-mammal live-traps and Oregon/Washington small-mammal identification. Strong preference will also be given to applicants with experience deploying camera traps and with handling and identifying reptiles and amphibians. Applicant should be detail oriented with the ability to take careful notes in field and office settings (Microsoft Excel experience); preference will also be given to those with GIS experience. Applicants should be in good physical condition with the ability to hike in hot temperatures and in rugged terrain while carrying equipment, and should be comfortable working outdoors and in challenging field conditions (e.g. hot/cold) including along roadsides, fast moving water, and railroad right of ways. Applicant should have basic competency using GPS/maps to locate field sites and record waypoints. Availability to work full- time (40 hours/week) is essential. Applicants must have their own vehicle (mileage reimbursement at $0.54/mile). If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your resume, cover letter, and three references to Michael Case (mc...@uw.edu). Please respond no later than April 30, 2017
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship (PhD) Exploring Wolf-Cougar Interactions in Washington
Agency University of Washington Location Seattle, WA Job Category Graduate Assistantships (PhD) Website http://www.predatorecology.com/ Salary Full support (stipend, tuition, and medical benefits) provided for 4 years. Start Date 09/28/2016 Last Date to Apply 04/15/2016 Description After an 80-year absence, the gray wolf is naturally recolonizing the Pacific Northwest of the United States, dispersing from populations in the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia. This process has raised questions about how wolves might interact with other predators and prey as well as the their economic impacts in managed landscapes where logging, cattle ranching and hunting are permitted. One interesting scenario is that wolves could alter the behavior of the regions other top predator, the cougar, and as a result modify patterns of predation on native ungulate populations. Our goal is to explore this possibility using a natural experiment that compares movements and foraging behavior of cougars before and after wolf recolonization. We seek a highly motivated doctoral student who will have the opportunity to 1) capture, handle, and deploy GPS collars on cougars; 2) inspect cougar kill sites to quantify prey selection and kill rates; 3) undertake spatial and statistical analyses of cougar behavior prior to and after the arrival of wolves; and 4) collaborate with a diverse group of researchers. This project falls under the umbrella of a larger study led by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) whose overarching goal is to understand whether and how the return of wolves is affecting native ecosystem dynamics and, in particular, ungulate populations. Thus, the student will work closely with WDFW and collaborate with other researchers exploring ungulate behavior and demography while completing a Ph.D. in Environmental and Forest Sciences (http://www.sefs.washington.edu/) at the University of Washington under the co-supervision of Associate Professor Aaron Wirsing (University of Washington), Dr Thomas Newsome (Deakin University / University of Sydney / Oregon State University), and Dr Brian Kertson (WDFW). The student will conduct field research at sites in Washington State where data on cougar movements and foraging were collected by WDFW prior to the return of wolves. The fieldwork will involve travel in large trucks with trailers, use of snowmobiles, extensive hiking, capturing of cougars with the assistance of hounds or via the use of cage traps, anesthetizing cougars for GPS collaring, and tree climbing. The doctoral student will also be responsible for training and supervising field technicians and volunteers. Qualifications Applicants must have a M.S. degree in wildlife science or a closely related discipline. Preference will be given to those who have experience 1) capturing, handling, and collaring cougars, or other large carnivores; 2) inspecting kill sites; 3) working with and analyzing large data sets; 4) analyzing GPS and kill site data; 5) using resource selection/utilization analysis tools; and 6) working in remote locations under sometimes challenging conditions. Given that this project is part of a larger multi-species effort, we will also prioritize applicants who are interested in both predator-predator and predator-prey interactions. A current valid (U.S.) motor vehicle license is required for this position, as is a driving record that will merit approval to operate State government vehicles. Full financial support (stipend, tuition, and benefits) will be provided for 4 years. The student will be expected to secure teaching assistantships to cover the remainder of their tenure if it extends beyond this time frame. To apply for this position please send a 1-page cover letter that outlines your experience undertaking large carnivore research and analyzing large datasets, as well as your long-term career goals. Please also include a CV (maximum of 2 pages) that includes 1) GPA and GRE scores; 2) publications, awards and grants; 3) work and research experience; and 4) current contacts for 3 professional or academic references. Please submit your application as a single PDF document named with the following format: Lastname_Firstname. Applications should be emailed to: Associate Professor Aaron Wirsing at wirsi...@uw.edu and please cc Dr Thomas Newsome at t.news...@deakin.edu.au Please note that the student must be willing to start the project by 09/28/2016 (the beginning of the autumn quarter at UW). Only those who have been shortlisted (up to five people) will be contacted. The shortlisted candidates may be required to conduct Skype and/or face-to-face interviews. Review of applications will commence on 04/16/2016. Contact Person Aaron Wirsing Contact Phone (206) 543-1585 Contact email wirsi...@uw.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Job: Assistant Professor of Quantitative Wildlife Ecology
The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington seeks to fill a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level with specialization in the ecology and conservation of terrestrial vertebrates. This is a full-time (100% FTE), 9-month position for which a Ph.D. (or equivalent Doctoral degree in Philosophy, Science, or Natural Science with habilitation, if offered) is required and post-doctoral scientific teaching or research experience is strongly desired. We wish to grow our existing wildlife science program while also creating new opportunities for our increasingly diverse student body and expanding research partnership with the Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management program (QERM; http://depts.washington.edu/qerm/). Accordingly, all applicants should demonstrate expertise in the fields of ecology, wildlife management, and/or conservation biology through awarded degrees and publications, grants, or teaching. Furthermore, special consideration will be given to field- oriented applicants who integrate empirical study of vertebrate populations and/or habitat relationships with cutting edge quantitative methods (e.g., occupancy and abundance modeling, demographic analyses, and future visualization as demonstrated through awarded degrees or publications in statistics or applied mathematics). The successful applicant is expected to establish a collaborative, externally funded and nationally recognized research program as well as contribute to graduate and undergraduate teaching, advising, and mentoring that support diversity and inclusion. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate ecology classes, interdisciplinary quantitative science classes, and graduate instruction in areas of personal interest. The University of Washington is building a culturally diverse workforce. The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences has a goal of creating a dedicated team of educators capable of enabling our students to successfully explore and interpret the rich array of disciplines and perspectives contained within the wildlife sciences. Thus, we are strongly seeking candidates whose research, teaching, and/or service have not only prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion, but have also given them the confidence to fully engage audiences in higher education from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. As one of the top universities in the world, the University of Washington in Seattle has a unique natural setting from urban to wildland that acts as a living laboratory. The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences is housed within the Universitys College of the Environment. The School manages several field stations and research sites including Pack Forest and the Olympic Natural Resources Center, and works with a broad range of stakeholders and partners including federal, state, and tribal agencies; non-governmental organizations; resource-based industries; and rural communities. Applications should include a letter of application describing your expertise and experience in research and teaching, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references. The letter should highlight how you integrate quantitative approaches into your work and include a brief statement on how your teaching, research and/or service demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through scholarship or by improving access to higher education for underrepresented individuals or groups. Applications must be submitted to sefss...@uw.edu. Please contact Dr. John Marzluff, Professor and Search Committee Chair, at cor...@uw.edu with questions or for additional information. Application review will begin 30 November 2014 and continue until the position is filled.
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate (PhD) Assistantship: Influence of recolonizing wolves on deer behavior in Washington
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) College of the Environment University of Washington Seattle, WA I am soliciting applications for a doctoral position exploring the influence of gray wolf (Canis lupus) recolonization on the foraging and anti-predator behavior of two sympatric prey species mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Washington state. Fieldwork will involve deploying animal-borne cameras on both deer species at sites with and without wolves over the course of three winters in order to contrast interspecific responses to predation danger. The student will benefit from existing research infrastructure and collaboration with agency biologists as part of an ongoing study of the ecological impacts of wolves in Washington. Applicants should be highly motivated with a strong work ethic, well-developed oral and written communication skills, and an excellent academic background. Academic preparation must include either (1) a MS in wildlife biology, ecology, or related fields with evidence of peer-reviewed publication or (2) a BS in wildlife biology, ecology, or related fields with evidence of both peer- reviewed publication and extensive independent field-based research. Preference will be given to applicants who have worked in remote field conditions, especially during winter; experience with radio-telemetry, predator-prey field studies (especially wolves and their prey), and handling cervids will also be considered to be a plus. Applicants should create a single document (e.g., a pdf) that includes a brief letter of interest (1- 2 pages), CV, unofficial transcripts, unofficial general GRE scores, and a list of 3 references and their contact information. The name of the file should contain the first and last name of the applicant. This file should be sent to Dr. Aaron Wirsing (wirsi...@u.washington.edu) via e-mail with Deer anti-predator behavior in the subject line. Applications will be screened until the January 6, 2012 end date, at which time we will contact references for those on the short list. Salary: Stipend, fringe benefits, tuition Last Date to Apply: January 6, 2012 Contact: Dr. Aaron Wirsing E-mail: wirsi...@u.washington.edu Phone: 206-543-1585 Faculty Website: http://faculty.washington.edu/wirsinga/
