Dear colleagues, An interdisciplinary team at Colorado State University (CSU) is looking for a motivated MSc candidate with strong interests in the field of avian ecology and quantitative spatial modeling to participate in a larger research project focused on understanding adaptive grazing management practices to sustain ecosystem services in rangeland ecosystems. The research team is a mix of academic faculty at CSU within the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (Dr. Cameron Aldridge), and Research Scientists at the US Geological Survey (Dr. Susan Skagen) and the US Department of Agriculture (Dr. David Augustine – Lead PI). The selected MSc Candidate will work with the larger research team to examine songbird population and community responses to grazing management practices. This research takes place on the Central Plains Experimental Range in northeastern Colorado, where we have implemented a large-scale grazing management experiment that explicitly contrasts the traditional grazing management practice used in this region with an adaptive grazing management strategy. Our overarching goal is to examine how science can be conducted in a real-world manner (i.e., at ranch-level scales with manager involvement) to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptive grazing management to support multiple ecosystem services. Details on the experiment are available at http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/Docs.htm?docid=24218.
Data collection will include songbird density estimates from point counts, rope dragging to identify nest site selection, and monitoring of nests to examine factors influencing survival rates. Sampling will take place within replicated grazing treatments, integrating songbird research with livestock and vegetation monitoring data. The incumbent student would be hired by the USDA as a summer field technician to begin field work on May 18, 2015 ($13/hr; 40 hrs/wk), and then begin their graduate degree program at CSU in the Fall of 2015. Required Qualifications: • BS in Ecology, Ornithology, Wildlife Conservation, Rangeland Ecology, or a related field • Excellent written and oral communication skills • Excellent organizational skills • Ability to work independently and as a member of a diverse team of scientists • Ability, enthusiasm and experience working with diverse stakeholders including landowners, agency staff, conservationists, and students Desired Qualifications: • Experiences or understanding of issues related conservation of songbirds and/or other wildlife within grassland or rangeland systems • Some quantitative analysis skills would be an asset, including multivariate models, generalized linear models, spatial modeling, and knowledge of current statistical software programs (e.g. R+, SAS, STATA, Jump, SPSS or similar) • Experience with spatial analyses and GIS • Knowledge of rangeland ecology Colorado State University (http://admissions.colostate.edu/) has prolific research programs in natural resources (http://warnercnr.colostate.edu/) and a world class Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (http://ecology.colostate.edu/). CSU is located in beautiful Fort Collins, on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and has been voted as one of the best places in the United States to live. Graduate Research Assistant Compensation: Stipend of ~$22,500 plus tuition Individuals interesting in applying for this position should contact Dr. Cameron Aldridge ([email protected]). Please send all application materials to Sara Simonson at ([email protected]), including: 1) a cover letter explaining your long-term career/research goals, academic interests, and why you are the right person for this position, 2) a copy of your current CV (resume), 3) GRE scores and unofficial transcripts, 4) names, addresses, and e-mail contacts for three references. Evaluation of applications will begin on March 16, 2015.
