Employer University of Georgia Job Description, Responsibilities and Required Qualifications or Skills Job Summary:Drs. John C. Maerz (https://www.maerzlab.com), Michel Kohl (https://kohlwildlifelab.com), and Nate Nibbelink (https://nibbelinklab.wixsite.com/spatialecologylab) at the University of Georgia are seeking applicants for a M.S. assistantship (2 years, fully funded) to work on a Georgia Department of Transportation grant focusing on best practices and decision-making tools for wildlife crossing and safety considerations. The project consists of a robust, multi-tiered approach that integrates Wildlife Vehicle Collision (WVC) reduction and habitat connectivity into project planning, development and construction. The project is a collaborative effort between the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, College of Engineering and Institute for Resilient Infrastructure (IRIS), the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Arcadis. The project will focus on the development of strategies and guidance specifically for the state of Georgia. The M.S student will work under the direct supervision of PI Dr. John Maerz and Co-PIs Dr. Michel Kohl and Dr. Nate Nibbelink. The applicant will support several aspects of the project but will have a specific emphasis on spatial modeling and analyses of movement and occurrence data to predict areas of wildlife-vehicle conflict and improve landscape connectivity for priority species. The project does not have dedicated field work though the student will have opportunities to participate in other lab fieldwork or with collaborators.The student’s primary adviser will be Dr. John C. Maerz, Carey Distinguished Professor of Forestry and Natural Resources (https://www.maerzlab.com/john-maerz-bio), and their primary supervisor will be Ms. Jade Samples, Research Professional, at the University of Georgia. The student will also work closely with other collaborators at the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, and the University of Georgia College of Engineering. Minimum Qualifications:B.S. degree in wildlife biology, management, ecology, applied statistics, geographic information science, engineering, mathematics or related disciplines and an undergraduate GPA >3.0. GRE scores are not required for admission but may be provided if the applicant wishes them to be considered.Basic proficiency in statistical analysis and/or programming (e.g., R, Python, or similar).Strong written and verbal communication skills.Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a multi-agency team.Preferred Qualifications:A strong interest and experience in quantitative techniques and spatial ecology is highly desirable.Excellent written and verbal communication skills.Effective teamwork and individual work capabilities.Familiarity with tools such as ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, Google Earth Engine, or spatial packages or mapping in R.Experience working in coding and analyzing data in environments including R and GitHub.Demonstrated ability to manage, analyze, and interpret ecological or spatial datasets. Job Field: Wildlife Job Type: Assistantship Location Detail: Athens, GA Salary: The successful applicant will receive a $30,365 per year stipend (12-month) and tuition waiver for up to 2 years. In addition, the student will receive either direct bill payments or a stipend supplement to cover 100% of the student portion of university fees and health insurance Job Benefits: How to Apply:For maximum consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply by April 15th. Review of applicants will begin as early as April 15th but will consider applications through May 1st. Interested applicants should submit the following documents as a single PDF to Jade Samples (jade.samples@uga.edu). Please email all materials as a single PDF file with your last name as the first part of the file name.1.5-page maximum cover letter summarizing your interest in the position, qualifications, and experience, as well as research and career aspirations.Curriculum VitaeNames and contact information for 2-4 professional references. For each reference, please indicate the nature of your relationship.Final candidates will be contacted for interviews in early May with candidate selection occurring by mid-May to early June 2026 Application Deadline: Fri, 05/01/2026 - 12:00pm
