Deadline: Wed, 03/15/2023 - 12:00pm Employer: Mississippi State University Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Job Field: Fisheries Job Type: Assistantship Location: Mississippi Location Detail: Starkville Job Description: Available PhD opportunity to lead a riverscape-scale study on comparative movement ecology of invasive Silver Carp & native, big-river filter-feeding fishes – Paddlefish, Bigmouth Buffalo in the Yazoo River drainage. Mismatches in the timing of large-scale movements between native & invasive fishes could provide opportunities to operate barriers in a manner that limits invasives while minimally interfering with population connectivity of native fish populations. The hired candidate will explore this tradeoff through active & passive acoustic telemetry to monitor the comparative timing of movements & passage through barriers. The hired candidate will work directly with Dr. Corey Dunn (U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi State University) while learning in-demand skills transferable to broader applications in natural resources such as decision making, acoustic telemetry, & river ecology. Qualifications: Completed master’s degree in natural resources, ecology, or closely related field before start date & interest in freshwater conservation. Candidates should have interests in fieldwork, R programming, GIS, & science communication. Existing boating experience is not necessary, but candidates must be willing to learn safe operations motorized watercraft. Fieldwork will require frequent overnight travel. Salary: Fully funded four-year Graduate Research Assistantship worth $23,500 per year + free health insurance, free tuition, computer, support for professional travel (professional development, conference attendance), federal training in safety & motorboat operations. Benefits: Applicants are encouraged to submit materials as soon as possible & by March 15, 2023, at the latest. Start date is negotiable, but the target dates for enrollment are between August 2023 (fall semester) & January 2024 (spring semester) How to Apply: Please email Dr. Corey Dunn (corey.dunn@msstate.edu) with the subject line “movement ecology PhD”. Applicants will submit in a single, merged PDF: (1) brief cover letter describing experiential background, career goals, & project interest; (2) resume/cv; (3) email addresses & phone numbers for three professional references; (4) updated official or unofficial transcripts. I welcome informal email inquiries about the position. Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture: https://www.cfr.msstate.edu/wildlife/ Full advertisement: https://bit.ly/river_fish
