[ECOLOG-L] Freshwater Microbiome Postdoctoral position
This postdoctoral research associate will lead independent and collaborative research to advance understanding of the controls and mechanisms that predict stream microbiome structure and function. This research will leverage the gradient of land-use and precipitation that exists across the state of Kansas, and is supported by the NSF-EPSCoR RII Track-1 project, "Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant and Soils across Kansas (MAPS)". The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for sample collection, data collection, data analysis and dissemination of their research. This work will be done in collaboration with Drs. Lydia Zeglin and Walter Dodds in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University, with the state-wide aquatic team including Drs. Amy Burgin, Pam Sullivan and Belinda Sturm at the University of Kansas, and in affiliation with the broader MAPS collaborative group including researchers at KU, Fort Hays State U. and Wichita State U. Candidates are expected to have completed a PhD degree in Microbial Ecology or a related field, to have strong written and oral communication skills, to have strong organizational skills, and to have a record of productive work both independently and as part of a collaborative team. The successful candidate will have two of the following core competencies: (1) experience with analysis of microbiomes or a background in microbial ecology; (2) bioinformatics skills relevant to analysis of next-generation sequence data; (3) experience with aquatic ecology or ecosystem ecology in a field setting. The candidate should be prepared to travel to field sites and conduct sample collection in field conditions, to conduct rigorous and well organized molecular microbial ecology and biogeochemistry lab protocols and data analysis, and to interpret and present results of the work at professional meetings and as published manuscripts. The successful candidate will embrace working in a collaborative team environment, while remaining independently motivated. We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, and candidates who can bring creativity and novel perspective to bear on the general research topic. Anticipated start date for this position is September 1, 2018, but start date is negotiable. The position may be renewed for a total of 2.5 years contingent upon satisfactory performance. Salary will be commensurate with experience: $47,476 - $50,000. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter that explicitly describes your professional qualifications for the position and how postdoctoral research in aquatic microbial ecology complements your career goals, a full curriculum vitae, up to three relevant reprints, and contact information for three references. Application materials must be submitted via the official job posting at http://careers.kstate. edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Kansas State University is located in the city of Manhattan (http://www.ci.manhattan.ks.us), a pleasant community of about 50,000 located in the scenic, native tallgrass prairie, Flint Hills region. Local recreational opportunities include a large lake/park system, road and trail biking, hiking trails, hunting and fishing, athletic events, and a rich program in the performing arts. Manhattan also serves as the regional center for education, health care, commerce, entertainment and communications, and is 2 hours from Kansas City. For more information, contact Dr. Lydia Zeglin (lzeg...@ksu.edu) or Dr. Walter Dodds (wkdo...@ksu.edu). ~~~~ Walter Dodds University Distinguished Professor, Kansas State University Brychta Chair in Biology
[ECOLOG-L] PhD positions Stream Ecology/ Ecological Modeling
Doctoral Student Positions- Stream Ecology/ Ecological Modeling We seek 6 graduate students at the doctoral level to fill positions on a large cross-site project examining properties of scaling in stream ecology entitled, “Scale, Consumers and Lotic Ecosystem Rates (SCALER): Centimeters to Continents”. This is a outstanding opportunity to get involved with a network of top-level stream scientists.The students will be focused on field work at individual sites or modeling across sites although all students will be expected to be involved in cross-site synthesis. The overarching question that SCALER will address is: How can small-scale ecological experiments be applied to understand the behavior of entire ecological systems? Specifically this proposal will ask: 1) How do the fundamental properties of stream ecosystems and the effects of animals on stream ecosystem properties scale across stream networks; and 2) How do patterns of scaling vary across the wide array of ecological systems (from tundra to tropical forest) that occurs across the North American continent? The SCALER experiments will be conducted in tropical forest, temperate deciduous forest, prairie, northern boreal forest, and tundra biomes. Streams in each of these five regions will be examined at scales of centimeters to 1000’s of meters in small, medium and large streams. Rates of stream metabolism (photosynthesis and respiration) and nutrient uptake will be measured, as well as the way these ecosystem processes respond to animal exclusions (used to mimic loss of animal diversity in streams) in small headwater to mid-order stream reaches. Reach scale studies will be linked to the scale of watersheds and regions by modeling and statistical scaling approaches, and verified by broader, but less intensive sampling. The knowledge that will be generated by this project is essential to quantify controls on stream ecosystem processes as well as to manage human impacts on entire watersheds. The experimental and modeling results will be relevant to general ecology because few e! xperiments have been undertaken in any environment that couple experimental and theoretical approaches at nested scales. Application deadlines are 1 Dec 2011, with 1 June 2012 start dates. Field Positions Contact: Walter Dodds/ Keith Gido wkdo...@ksu.edu/kg...@ksu.edu Kansas State Univ. Amy Rosemond/John Kominoski rosem...@uga.edu/jkomino...@gmail.com Univ. Georgia Breck Bowden/ Michael Flinn wbow...@uvm.edu/michael.fl...@murraystate.edu Univ. Vermont Jeremy Jones / Tamara Harms jay.jo...@alaska.edu/ tamara.ha...@alaska.edu Univ. Alaska Fairbanks Bill McDowell bill.mcdow...@unh.edu Univ. New Hampshire Modeling Position Contact: Ford Ballantyne f...@ku.edu Univ. Kansas ~~ Walter Dodds University Distinguished Professor in Biology Kansas State University 785 532 6998 http://www.k-state.edu/doddslab/ ~
[ECOLOG-L] Stream Ecology Postdoctoral Position
Postdoctoral Research Opportunity A Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biology at Kansas State University is sought to organize and lead a series of stream field experiments across North America associated with the “Scale, Consumers and Lotic Ecosystem Rates (SCALER): Centimeters to Continents” project. This project coordinator will play a central role in developing methodology and bridging collaborative experiments at 5 regions from Puerto Rico to Alaska from execution to synthesis. The SCALER project, funded by the National Science Foundation, will examine scaling of stream metabolism, nutrient uptake, and effects of consumers across spatial extents from centimeters to kilometers. A modeling team will explore scaling relationships from sub-reach to continental scales. Research sites include tropical forest, temperate deciduous forest, prairie, boreal forest, and tundra. The post-doctoral associate will contribute to development of protocols and experimental design, will travel to the 5 sites to assist! with initiating experiments at each site, and will have the opportunity to address research questions linking large stream animals to nutrient cycles and energy flow in streams. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with top stream scientists around the United States. The principal investigators on the project are Drs. Walter Dodds, Keith Gido (Kansas State), Ford Ballantyne (Univ. Kansas), Amy Rosemond, John Kominoski (Univ. Georgia), Breck Bowden (Univ. Vermont), Michael Flinn (Murray State), Matt Whiles (University of Southern Illinois), Jay Jones, Tamara Harms (Univ. Alaska), and Wil Wollheim, Bill McDowell (Univ. New Hampshire). Qualifications: The candidate must have a Ph.D. in ecology or aquatic ecology. The preferred candidate will have experience with field measures of stream ecosystem function and stream consumer effects. The candidate must be prepared to travel to remote field sites in multiple biomes and perform rigorous experimental field work in locations that may require physical effort to transport equipment. The ability to work in a group setting is essential, as this researcher will work collaboratively with the PI’s, other post docs, graduate students and personnel at the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) in methodological design and experimental implementation. The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with the data manager as well as the modelers associated with the project and a diverse population. High organizational and communication skills, creativity in methodological development, and understanding of basic experimental design an! d statistical analyses are required for this position. Duration and Start Date: Initial appointment is for 1 year, and may be renewed for a total of 2.5 years depending upon satisfactory performance. Anticipated start date is January 2012, but start date is negotiable. Location: Kansas State University (http://www.ksu.edu) is located in the city of Manhattan (http://www.core.manhattan.ks.us), a vibrant university community of about 50,000 in the scenic Flint Hills of north-central Kansas. Konza Prairie Biological Station, a primary research site, is about 8 km from the University. To Apply: Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, up to three relevant reprints, and have three recommendations sent seperately (electronic versions of all materials are required) to biol...@ksu.edu with “Dodds Postdoc” in the subject line . For more information concerning the nature of this position, contact Dr. Walter Dodds (wkdo...@ksu.edu or 785-532-6998) or Dr. Keith Gido (kg...@ksu.edu or 785-532-5088). Deadline: Review of applications will commence 1 October 2011 and continue until the position is filled. KSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, and actively seeks diversity among its employees Background check required ~ Walter Dodds University Distinguished Professor in Biology Kansas State University 785 532 6998 http://www.k-state.edu/doddslab/ ~
postdoc position aquatic eco forecasting
Postdoctoral Research Opportunity-Kansas State University Forecasting Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Riverine Networks of the Great Plains Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biology at Kansas State University is sought to lead a dynamic interdisciplinary team forecasting ecological properties in the Kansas River basin. Fragmentation of riverine networks caused by impoundments and loss of groundwater recharge combined with anthropogenic changes in flow regime and additions of pollutants have affected the distribution of fishes throughout the Great Plains, leading to extirpation of native species and the spread of non-indigenous species. Such changes have resulted in a strong shift in community composition that may compromise the biotic integrity and ecosystem function of these aquatic systems. This project, funded by the U.S. NSF, will employ a combination of hydrologic and spatial analysis of connectivity within riverine networks to link changes in species distributions (using a substantial georeferenced fish database and surveys of unionoid mussels). In addition, the candidate may elect to include records of aquatic insect diversity. We will also be using real time sensing of water quality and linking these data to ecosystem metabolism and community structure. The principal investigators on the project are Drs. Walter Dodds (aquatic ecology), Keith Gido (fish ecology), and Jim Koelliker (hydrology) at Kansas State University, Jim Thorp (river ecology) at the University of Kansas and Eric Strauss (river biogeochemistry) at Fort Hays State University. Qualifications: The candidate must have a minimum of a Ph.D. in the area of ecology, aquatic ecology, or landscape ecology. The preferred candidate will have experience in the analysis of species diversity patterns and aquatic ecological data; expertise in geographic information systems is highly desirable. Experience working in aquatic ecosystems is also preferred. The ability to work in a group setting is essential as this researcher will work collaboratively with the PI´s, a hydrologic modeler, several aquatic graduate students, and a part time technician. Duration and Start Date: Initial appointment is for 1 year, and may be renewed for a second year depending upon satisfactory performance. Anticipated start date is August 2006, but start date is negotiable. Location: Kansas State University (http://www.ksu.edu) is located in the city of Manhattan (http://www.core.manhattan.ks.us), a vibrant university community of about 50,000 in the scenic Flint Hills of northcentral Kansas. Manhattan is about 1.5 hours from the collaborating University of Kansas and 2 hours from Kansas City. To Apply: Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, up to three relevant reprints, and have three recommendations (electronic versions of all materials are preferred) sent to Dr. Walter Dodds ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). For more information concerning the nature of this position, contact Dr. Walter Dodds (785532 6998) or Dr. Keith Gido ([EMAIL PROTECTED] 785 532 5088). Deadline: Review of applications will commence 1 March 2006 and continue until the position is filled. KSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, and actively seeks diversity among its employees This ad paid for by KSU. ~~~ Walter Dodds, Division of Biology ,Kansas State University 232 Ackert Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA (785) 532-6998 http://www.ksu.edu/doddslab/
