We seek a highly motivated student to fill a fully funded Ph.D. position in the labs of Drs. Marcus Lashley and Garrett Street at Mississippi State University to study Invasion Ecology in Agroecosystems. The position will begin in August 2018 or January 2019 depending on applicant availability. The assistantship includes a $23,500 stipend, full tuition waiver, and insurance. This research is an extension of an ongoing 6+ year project (beginning year three now). The student will be expected to collect data with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to integrate with other in situ data sets into a landscape modelling framework with the objective of predicting the spatiotemporal probability of human wildlife conflicts, the effects of swine invasion on native wildlife communities, and swine population vulnerability as predicted by island biogeography theory. The successful student will have access to large data sets from radiotags and accelerometers deployed on feral swine, remotely sensed agricultural data, a captive feral swine facility, the Center for UAV Research, and camera traps deployed in remnant forest patches across Agroecosystems of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Required Qualifications: M.Sc. in Ecology or closely related field. Successful completion of the FAA UAS training will be required within the first semester. Possess or obtain a driver’s license. Ability to work in teams or individually in secluded and remote, hot and humid conditions, where most organisms want to sting, bite, or puncture you. Preferred Qualifications: Strong quantitative, GIS, and written skills are desirable. Strong interpersonal skills, fun attitude with a good sense of humor, and desire to promote research and technology transfer through social media and public speaking. Interested applicants should submit via email a cover letter outlining your interest in the project, a current curriculum vitae, contacts for three references to Dr. Marcus Lashley, marcus.lash...@msstate.edu. We will be accepting and reviewing applications immediately until a suitable applicant is found. Application deadline is June 15, 2018.
