Announcement of Position Availability
TITLE: Senior Research Assistant, Grade-17
EFFECTIVE: June 19, 2006
SALARY: $26,832.00 Continued employment is contingent upon federal funding.
PREFER: Field experience in plant identification and the use of dichotomous
keys; knowledge of Chihuahuan Desert flora and fauna; practical experience
with electrical and mechanical maintenance of climatological and
hydrological instruments; field experience with handling and identifying
small mammals and reptiles; skill in the use of hand and power tools;
familiarity with sampling schemes for plants and animals; experience
operating in and managing a lab according to federal guidelines. Good
working knowledge of Microsoft Office products is a must, and a computer
programming background is also desireable.
The selected individual will be self-motivated, flexible,
possess
exemplary supervisory and organizational abilities, enjoy working under
desert field conditions with high heat and sun exposure (as this is
primarily a desert field position) , work reliably both independently and as
part of a team, establish and maintain effective working relationships with
associates and principle investigators, be comfortable working safely with
moderately hazardous materials, make sound judgments relative to analytical
processes and employee safety, recognize the extreme accuracy and
consistency essential to long term research, be able to record and assemble
data accurately, follow detailed oral and/or written instructions exactly,
communicate well both verbally and in writing, and be able to coordinate
needs with other agencies/groups. Acute attention to small details,
enthusiasm, and the ability to get along well with co-workers, supervisors,
and principle investigators are musts.
QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in field of research applicable to the
position; 3 years experience in research directly related to the research
areas addressed by this LTER program as well as demonstrated skills in
training and directing work of assigned staff.
REQUIREMENTS: Driver's license.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Work is based out of New Mexico State University in Las
Cruces, NM. Individual will participate in the on-going and
multi-disciplinary Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER)
program on desertification in the Chihuahuan Desert. Research disciplines
include hydrology (~25%), plant ecology (~23%), animal ecology (~11%), soils
(~9%), climatology (~5%), and aeolian studies (~5%). Approximately 80% of
the time will be spent outdoors collecting data, with the remaining 20% of
the time spent in the lab processing samples, cleaning equipment, checking
data, and maintaining appropriate documentation on the studies and lab.
Although the position is usually 40 hours a week, additional hours will
occasionally be required both during the week and on weekends.
Specific field responsibilities include extensive plant identification
and
measurements; soil moisture measurements using a neutron probe; extensive
collection of hydrology data and frequent maintenance of hydrological
equipment; maintenance of field instruments, equipment, and infrastructure;
collecting arthropod and dust samples; and handling and identification of
small mammals and reptiles (usually only lizards). The position will entail
manual labor such as routine carrying of heavy instruments in the field for
extended periods, maintaining and fixing fences, and painting large
structures, and could include tasks like shrub removal, trenching, and soil
coring. The individual will work with a wide variety of taxa and will be
required to learn to identify all flora (~350 spp.) and selected fauna found
in the research area.
General responsibilities include collecting and recording moderately
complex data in both field and laboratory environments in accordance with
established protocols, data entry, maintaining organizational and historical
data for each study, and aiding principle investigators with data collection
and experimental design (assisting with design, testing, and/or modification
of experimental equipment as well as installation of experimental apparatus).
Supervises and coordinates collection and recording of complex research
data in both field and laboratory environments in accordance with
established regulations and/or protocols; schedules and evaluates assigned
staff; assists with establishing and documenting study protocols,
guidelines, and procedures; conducts or assists in tests using proven and
experimental techniques; maintains statistical, other records, and
organizational data collected in particular experiments or units of
research; assists with and/or supervises the setting up of experimental
apparatus, instruments and other equipment; records results of experiments
in prescribed form necessary to show best results; may design or assist in
the design or modification of test equipment; runs a laboratory according to
federal and university regulations; maintains accurate inventory records;
provides support for visiting scientists; performs related work as required.
For more information about the Jornada Basin LTER site and general
research
program, see http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu/.
BENEFITS: Group medical and hospital insurance, group life insurance, state
education retirement, worker's compensation, sick leave, and unemployment
compensation.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Submit letter of application, resume, 3 letters
of reference, and any related supportive materials by May 31, 2006.
Electronic submissions must be in MS WORD, Rich Test Format (RTF), or PDF.
Other formats will not be accepted.
REPLY TO: John P. Anderson, Jornada LTER Site Manager; USDA-ARS Jornada
Experimental Range; P.O. Box 30003 , MSC 3JER; New Mexico State University;
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0001 [2995 Knox Street, Suite 200 for FedEx, etc.]
Voice: 505-646-5818; Fax: 505-646-5889; Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT CONTINGENT UPON VERIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL'S ELIGIBILITY
FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. NMSU IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.
