Position: PhD Graduate Research Assistantship: The interaction between fear and fire in a free-living mammal.
Location: The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA and the Joseph W Jones Ecological Research Center, Newton, GA Description: We seek a highly motivated student to fill a PhD assistantship in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at the Pennsylvania State University, starting August 2016. The successful applicant will investigate the interactive effects of predation risk and fire on the behavior and physiology of free-living eastern cottontail rabbits in the longleaf pine forests at the Joseph W Jones Center. With climate-induced changes in fire ecology, it is critical to understand how predator-prey dynamics will respond to the drastic and immediate changes to their environment induced by fire. This project is part of a long term investigation into the ecological role of meso-mammalian predators in a longleaf pine ecosystem (http://www.jonesctr.org/research/wildlife/). Longleaf pine ecosystems are characterized by globally significant levels of biodiversity that is maintained by frequent low-intensity fire. Fire influences the distribution and abundance of food and cover resources for wildlife and this project aims to investigate the effects of that spatio-temporal process on predator-prey interactions. This position requires extensive field work and laboratory analysis. Qualifications: Applicants must hold a B.S. in Ecology, Biology, Wildlife or a related field, have a GPA of 3.0 or greater and competitive GRE scores. Additional information can be found at http://ecosystems.psu/graduateprograms/wfs or https://www.huck.psu.edu/content/graduate-programs/ecology. Applicants must be highly motivated, have excellent written and oral communication skills, and be capable of working independently. The most qualified applicants will have laboratory and field experience, have worked with, tracked and handled wild mammals. A Master’s degree and publications are preferred but not required. To apply please email a cover letter describing research experience and interests, CV, transcripts, GRE scores, and contact information of three references to Dr. Michael Sheriff ([email protected]) with PhD Application in the subject line. Salary: Competitive stipend, plus tuition and benefits. Start-Date: August 2016 preferred. -- Michael J Sheriff Assistant Professor, Mammalogy and Ecology Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Penn State University phone. 814 863-0135 http://michaeljsheriff.weebly.com
