Two PhD Assistantships- Wild Turkey Population Ecology and Management in Kansas
Agency
Kansas State University
Location
Manhattan, Kansas
Job Category
Graduate Assistantships
Salary
27-29k/year + tuition
Start Date
06/15/2023
Last Date to Apply
02/10/2023
Description
We are looking to hire two PhD students that will be fully funded with graduate research assistantship and tuition covered.
PhD candidates will work as part of a collaborative team to evaluate wild turkey survival, reproduction, species distribution, habitat selection, diet, and disease among three sites in Kansas to inform habitat and harvest management. Specific objectives pursued by each candidate will be discussed upon hiring. The overall goal of the project is to provide demographic and habitat estimates that inform harvest models and provide inference on drivers of recent declines in observed abundance.
One PhD student will work within the Division of Biology (https://www.k-state.edu/kscfwru/) , and one within the Department of Horticulture & Natural Resources (https://hnr.k-state.edu/) at Kansas State University. Each PhD student will perform extensive field research and will live at provided field housing for a portion (~6 months) of each year. Field research will involve using rocket and/or drop nets to capture wild turkeys, attaching GPS transmitters, monitoring survival and reproduction of marked turkeys, marking and monitoring poults, and extensive vegetation/habitat data collection. Data analysis will include estimation of vital rates, population growth rates, species distribution, and habitat selection. We have funding for Each PhD to be covered over four years of research and coursework.
To apply, please e-mail a cover letter, CV, and contact information of three references preferably as a single PDF to Dan Sullins (sullins@ksu.edu) and David Haukos (dhaukos@ksu.edu), with the subject line as "Wild Turkey wildlife GRA ". Review of applications will begin Mid January, 2023, and continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Start date is somewhat flexible with ideal start date between June 1 and July 15, 2023.
Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities, protected veterans and actively seeks diversity among its employees. Background check is required.
Qualifications
A strong candidate will have experience in at least three of the following areas: wildlife-habitat relationships, grassland ecology, forest ecology, avian ecology, surveying avian populations, capturing and handling wildlife, spatial analyses, and/or data management. Also of interest is a candidate with experience driving 4X4 vehicles, capturing and marking birds, vegetation monitoring, nest monitoring, performing survival analyses, developing resource selection functions, species distribution modeling, and/or monitoring wildlife using radio telemetry. Applicants need to have demonstrated proficiency in working both independently and as a part of a team as this project will be part of a larger collaborative effort.
M.S. in Wildlife Management, Natural Resources, Biology, Spatial Science, or equivalent field is required.
