We invite applications for a seasonal Research Assistant/Technician position based at Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA and Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, MA with a summer field season on the North Slope of Alaska (Toolik Field Station). The applicant will be hired through Wilkes University, reside in the Toolik Field Station (http://toolik.alaska.edu) between June and August, and then move to MBL for the rest of the season. MBL manages the long-term ecology research (LTER) project at Toolik and is home to dozens of scientists, postdocs, and research assistants studying the Arctic system. The position is funded by NSF for 6 months/year for three years.
The candidate will study how locally adapted populations of tussock species respond differently to changing climate and affect ecosystem function and biogeochemical cycling in the Arctic tundra in northern Alaska. The job duties include setting up warming experiments, recording plant growth and phenology, and measuring photosynthesis and respiration in reciprocal transplant gardens under warming treatments across a gradient of study sites in tundra ecosystems in northern Alaska. Activities in Woods Hole include chemistry analyses and data analyses. The candidate will work closely with a postdoc hired by this project and supervised by Drs. Jim Tang (MBL), Ned Fetcher (Wilkes University), and Michael Moody (University of Texas-El Paso). A BA/BS in ecology, evolution, or environmental sciences is required. An MA in one of the above fields is encouraged. Strong experience in field instrumentation, particularly with infrared gas analyzers (IRGA), dataloggers, and climatic sensors, is essential. The successful candidate should be able to work independently for a long time and live in a remote setting. Applicants should be in good health, capable of rigorous physical activity (e.g., working long hours in potentially harsh environmental conditions, carrying ~40 pound pack across uneven terrain) and prepared to live in an isolated research camp. The successful candidate should be available for travel to Alaska in late May or early June and should be able to remain in Alaska through the end of August. All travel and living expenses while in Alaska will be paid in addition to a salary. Please send a brief cover letter indicating your interest and experience, curriculum vitae, copies of transcripts and the names, addresses, phone number, and email address of three references to: Dr. Jim Tang ([email protected]) and Dr. Ned Fetcher ([email protected]). Review of applications will start Feb. 1, 2015 and continue until a suitable candidate is identified.
