We are seeking enthusiastic undergraduates and recent college graduates who are interested in summer field research in Alaska. The overall objective of our research program is to understand the ecosystem and global consequences of potential future changes in arctic vegetation. The successful applicant will assist with fieldwork in our tussock tundra site and laboratory work consisting of tasks such as plant sorting and data entry. In addition, the successful applicant will attend weekly seminars on the research at the station, will develop his or her own individual research project on a topic related to the program and his or her own interests, and will present his or her work at an informal symposium at Toolik Field Station.
The focus of research this summer is to understand how plant species traits affect ecosystem processing of C and N, and how changes in the species abundance may alter C and N cycling under a warming climate. We have been collecting data on plant traits from a suite of species growing in different tundra ecosystem types, and will finish that collection this summer. Data are being compared with similar plant traits collected in ecosystems at a range of latitudes across the Americas, to assess the contribution of functional diversity to ecosystem processing of C and N under land use and climatic change. The successful applicant will also assist with other projects, including one focused on the mechanisms by which winter processes affect the summer growth of vegetation, and the consequences of shrub expansion under a warming climate for biogeochemical cycling of C and N. We have set up snowfences in tussock tundra, low shrub tundra, and taller shrub tundra, in order to assess how increased winter snow affects mineralization of N overwinter and growth and recovery from snow-loading of shrubs and other vegetation in the following summer. We will continue to follow vegetation growth in this study, and will continue measurements of shrub response to, and recovery from, mechanical loading by snow. This project should improve our understanding of land surface changes currently occurring in the Arctic, and their potential impacts on climate. Finally, the successful applicant will help with a project focused on understanding the contribution of vegetation and disturbance to landscape-level fluxes of carbon, water, and energy in tundra ecosystems. Successful applicants will be based at Toolik Field Station, north of the Brooks Range in arctic Alaska (http://www.uaf.edu/toolik/), which is the focus of research by nearly 100 scientists who work on a variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecology projects. For more information, contact Dr. Syndonia Bret-Harte ([email protected]). There is one position, which pays a stipend of $436 per week (before taxes). The position will begin in early June and end in late August of 2009. Class background in plant ecology, botany, ecosystem ecology, statistics, and computer science would be an advantage. Experience in field or laboratory, experience with data analysis, and experience working in a remote field site is preferred. You should have skills with plant identification, data collecting and recording, data manipulation in Excel, and data analysis. Applicants must be willing to work in the field, occasionally under adverse weather conditions. Competent, careful, emotionally mature, and enthusiastic people desired! We want the work to be both fun and challenging. We encourage applications from women and minorities. A valid U.S. Drivers license is required, and successful applicants must provide a copy of their social security cards at the time of employment. You must apply for this job on-line. To apply, please go to https://www.uakjobs.com and click on the Create Application link to select a User Name and Password and to create your application. Then, go to http://www.uakjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=66726. Submit a cover letter that explains why you are interested in the program and how it fits into your long-term education and career goals. Also, describe your background and include anything that you think would convince us that you are the most appropriate person for this position. You must also submit a C.V. or Resume and the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. If you need assistance, please contact UAF Human Resources at 907-474-7700 or stop by 3295 College Road, Room 108, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7860 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed noon -1 p.m.). Applications will be reviewed beginning April 16, 2009. UAF is an AA/EO Employer and Educational Institution.
