Announcement of Position Availability
TITLE: Senior Research Assistant, Requisition #0600506
ANTICIPATED START DATE: July 1, 2012
SALARY: $36,000. Continued employment is contingent upon federal funding.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor's degree in Biology, Soil Science.
Environmental Sciences or field of research applicable to the position and
three years of related experience. Must have a Valid Driver's License.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: The selected individual will be self-motivated,
flexible, possess strong 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, recognize the extreme
accuracy and consistency essential to long term research, follow detailed
oral and/or written instructions precisely, 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.
Ideally, the successful candidate will have field experience in plant
identification and the use of dichotomous keys, experience working in a lab
environment, good working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, be
comfortable using hand and power tools, and have field experience in
research related to the research areas addressed by this LTER program as
well as demonstrated skills in training and directing work of assigned staff..
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 plant ecology (~35%), aeolian studies (~25%), hydrology (~10%),
animal ecology (<5%), soils (~9%), and climatology (~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. Although the
position is usually 40 hours a week, additional hours may occasionally be
required both during the week and on weekends.
Specific field responsibilities include plant measurements and
identification (~200 species); soil moisture measurements using a neutron
probe; collection of aeolian dust and hydrology samples; handling and
identification of small mammals (~20 species); and maintenance of field
instruments, equipment, and infrastructure. The position will entail manual
labor such as routine carrying of heavy instruments in the field for
extended periods and that related to infrastructure maintenance. 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; aiding principle investigators with data collection; design,
testing, and/or modification of experimental equipment and procedures; and
the installation of experimental apparatus.
The Senior Research Assistant also supervises and coordinates the
collection, recording, and error checking of research data; assists with
scheduling and evaluation of assigned staff; assists with establishing and
documenting protocols; maintains experimental data, organizational data, and
other records; assists with and/or supervises the setting up of experimental
apparatus, instruments, and other equipment; manages a small laboratory
according to federal and university regulations; maintains accurate
inventory records; acts as a liason for principle investigators; provides
support for visiting scientists; and performs related work as required.
Information about the Jornada Basin LTER program: 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.
Review of APPLICATIONS: Review of applications will begin June 20th and
continue until June 27th. Submit letter of interest, resume or CV, copy of
unofficial transcripts, and 3 letters of reference with contact information.
REPLY TO: For a complete job description or to apply for this position,
visit http://jobs.nmsu.edu, Requisition #0600506. Questions about the
position may be directed to John Anderson, Jornada LTER Site Manager, Voice:
505-646-5818; Email: [email protected].
Note to applicants: The NMSU electronic application is the "official"
document that will be used to qualify applicants. Letter of Interest and
Resume will only be used as a screening tool for the hiring department.
Paper/email documents will not be accepted. Required documents must be
attached to the online electronic application. The other attachment option
is being made available to facilitate attaching transcripts.
NMSU IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. All
offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent on the universitys
verification of credentials, individuals eligibility for employment in the
United States and other information required by federal law, state law, and
NMSU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a criminal
history check.
