Graduate Research Assistant - Fire, Grazing, and Rangeland Resilience in the Intermountain West

Position Description: 

The Wildlife Habitat Ecology Laboratory at Montana State University is seeking a motivated and collaborative Graduate Research Assistant (M.S.) to join a multidisciplinary project examining the interplay between wildfire and livestock grazing in shaping the ecological and agricultural resilience of rangelands across the Intermountain West. Shifting fire regimes, evolving land uses, and changing weather patterns are reshaping western rangelands. Fire and grazing—two historically intertwined ecological processes—jointly influence plant communities, forage productivity, soil health, and wildlife habitat. This project will evaluate how patterns of fire severity and frequency interact with grazing practices to affect soil health, vegetation composition and productivity, wildlife use, and biodiversity. Findings will inform sustainable land management strategies that balance agricultural viability with ecological integrity under rapidly changing environmental conditions.