The Department of Plants, Soils and Climate (https://psc.usu.edu/) at Utah State University is seeking a master’s-level student to start a research assistantship for the Fall semester of 2016. The prospective student will undertake research to understand how drought stress affects water-use, plant functional traits and stable isotopes (13C and 18O) of foliage and tree-rings of pinyon pine (*Pinus edulis*/*monophylla*) and Utah Juniper (*Juniperus osteosperma*). Pinyon and juniper are two of the most common tree species in Utah and are known to differ in their water-use strategies. Research responsibilities will include employing a precision lysimeter system that directly tracks water use and automatically adjusts irrigation schedules to maintain the well-watered or drought-induced status of individual trees. The student will be expected to work with other scientists within the broader research community at USU that includes the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (http://www.cwel.usu.edu/), the Wasatch Dendrochronology Research Group (https://wadr.usu.edu/) and the Ecology Center (http://www.usu.edu/ecology/).
Qualifications: The ideal candidate would have a B.S. degree in biology, ecology, forestry, environmental science or a related field. Applicants should be able to work independently and also work cooperatively with other researchers. The applicant should also have demonstrated strong written and quantitative skills as well as a strong work ethic. If interested, please attach a resume (include scores from GRE exam, if possible) to a message that briefly outlines your background and research interests to Dr. Steve Voelker ([email protected] <[email protected])/>) ( drstevevoelker.weebly.com). Location: Utah State University is a Carnegie Doctoral / Research University of more than 20,000 students, nestled in a mountain valley 90 miles north of Salt Lake City. Opportunities for a wide range of outdoor activities are plentiful due to USU’s central location with respect to numerous National Parks, Forests, Monuments and Conservation areas as well as local ski resorts, lakes, rivers, and mountains. The nearby access to outdoor recreation, stunning mountain views and relatively low cost of living make Logan a very desirable location to live.
