Drs. Lesley Bulluck and Rodney Dyer in the Department of Biology and the Center for Environmental Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University are seeking applications for two graduate student positions to work with Prothonotary Warblers beginning April 2016.
One position is for a graduate research assistant who will focus on migratory connectivity using population genetics (co-advised by Drs. Dyer and Bulluck). This position is a research assistantship with two years of stipend and tuition in the Masters program at the Center for Environmental Studies (http://ces.vcu.edu). Successful applicants should have experience in molecular techniques salient to creating ddRADseq libraries and ornithological field collection techniques. This individual will be working on exploring the extent to which individuals sampled on wintering grounds can be assigned to specific breeding areas in North America as well as assisting ongoing field studies in this species in Virginia. The second position is a field crew leader/potential graduate student to lead field work that addresses questions about breeding density and habitat use (advised by Dr. Bulluck). This position does not have funding for student support outside of the field season, however competitive teaching assistantships including tuition and a monthly stipend may be available in the VCU Biology MS program (http://biology.vcu.edu) for very strong applicants. The field crew leader will be responsible for organizing and leading the field effort from April through July along with the field technician and occasional undergraduate technicians from VCU. Strongest applicants will have a competitive GPA and GRE scores and an interest in developing quantitative skills to answer questions about Prothonotary Warbler breeding ecology. Both positions will involve field work collecting demographic data on this species during the spring/summer of 2016 and 2017. Field work will take place at Fort A.P. Hill and surrounding areas, approximately mid-way between Richmond and Washington D.C. A $1200-1500/month stipend (depending on experience) and local housing and transportation will be provided during the field season for both positions. Both positions require prior experience in the field, navigational skills, ability to identify eastern birds by sight and sound, and tolerance for wet, hot, buggy coastal plain conditions in the summer. Especially desirable skills include prior experience mist netting/banding of birds, collecting blood and feather samples, and making detailed field observations using binoculars (including resighting color bands). VCU, located in Richmond, VA, is the largest public R1 University in Virginia and has an active and diverse Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Science faculty that are engaged in research around the world. Successful applicants should have a BS in biology (or related field), GPA >3.3, competitive GRE scores, an interest in developing quantitative skills, a high level of self-motivation, and prior research experience. Interested persons should initially email a letter that summarizes their background, educational goals, and research interests, along with curriculum vitae (include GPA and GRE scores) with contact information for three references to Dr. Lesley Bulluck (lpbull...@vcu.edu) or Rodney Dyer ( rjd...@vcu.edu). Deadline for applications is December 15, but applications will be considered as they are received. -- Rodney J. Dyer, PhD Department of Biology Center for Environmental Studies Virginia Commonwealth University http://dyerlab.bio.vcu.edu
