Research experience available: Ecology Research Technician Agency: University of Minnesota
Location: Project headquartered at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, East Bethel, MN. Experiment located at UMore Parks Rosemount Research and Outreach Center, Rosemount, MN. Job Description: Our team is looking for a motivated individual to aid in establishing and maintaining a grazing experiment that is associated with a greater Wildlife/Biofuels research program. The proposed grazing experiment is one component of a large, multidisciplinary initiative to understand how harvesting restored prairies for biofuel impacts wildlife and ecosystem functioning. This project is directed at learning how land managers can increase biofuel yields on marginal grasslands with as little inputs as possible while preserving the ecological services provided by that system. The new employee will have the opportunity to help with other aspects of the greater research program, including gained experiences in grant preparation, small mammal trapping, other wildlife surveys, and participation in outreach activities. Qualifications: A bachelors degree is preferred. A successful applicant will have experience with: Cattle management or related large mammal handling Fence installation Field crew supervision Data management Excellent plant identification skills, particularly with tall-grass prairie species, are strongly desired. Exceptional writing skills are also strongly preferred. Salary: $10-$12 per hour DOQ Duration: This position is seasonal full time (April '10 to November '10) with a possibility of long-term full time depending on funding. The successful applicant will be helping with the experimental design of the grazing study. S/he will be responsible for delineating the plots, installing cattle fencing, installing water sampling equipment, designing soil and plant survey schedules, organizing treatment application (including herbicide application, biomass harvest, seeding, grazing) collecting and managing data, supervising interns, and other related tasks. Outside of the field season, this person may help with grant writing, report preparation, data analysis, outreach activities, and/or sampling tasks for related experiments. If you have any questions or are interested in applying for this position, please send Jake Jungers an email to [email protected] with the subject grazing project. Please attach a resume with your letter of intent. Applications will be received until the position is filled. Thank you for your interest.
