Smithsonian Post-doctoral Fellowship available to work on the impact of river restoration (i.e., dam removal) on two river-dependent species the American dipper and the river otter. The Post-doctoral Fellow will be based in Washington DC at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center although there will significant travel to field sites on the Olympic Peninsula. The stipend is $42,000/year and can begin in September 2010. River otters and American dippers are both known to use areas below, between, and above the dams on rivers in the Northwest, but we know very little about their spatial extent, seasonal habitat requirements, movement patterns, or how their diets might be altered after dam removal. The primary objective is to collect information using a variety of direct and indirect methods on how otters and dippers use the river to meet their spatial, habitat, and dietary (using stable isotopes) needs. Field work by the post doc will focus on dipper biology although there may be periods of time when they are expected to help otter research. Requirements include a strong knowledge and field skills in the ecology and behavior of birds, aptitude with a variety of quantitative techniques and comfort working on river systems in the northwest. Successful applicants will also have significant experience in the observation, capture and handling of birds. Finally, because the use of stable isotopes is expected to be an important tool for providing diet information, competitive applicants will also have experience in stable isotopic biogeochemistry. For more information contact Pete Marra [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>, (www.si.edu/smbc) 202-633-1594.
