Deadline: Fri, 06/21/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: Tennessee State University Job Field: Forestry Job Type: Assistantship Location: Tennessee Location Detail: Nashville, TN Job Description: Tennessee State University’s Department of Environmental Sciences is pleased to announce a graduate research assistantship to support an M.S. student conducting research in Forest Ecology. The students will be advised by Dr. Sarah McCarthy-Neumann (sneumann@tnstate.edu) whose research lab investigates the role of plant-soil feedback (PSF) on forest community dynamics (see lab website at https://www.mccarthy-neumannlab.com/). The research project focuses on PSF legacies (e.g., how long PSF persists after tree mortality or harvesting) and the effect of fire on plant-soil feedback dynamics. The research will comprise field and greenhouse experiments. The assistantship begins with Fall 2024 enrollment and is a 12-month GRA position for 2 year ($26,400 annual stipend plus health benefits). We seek applicants with high enthusiasm for field and greenhouse research that contributes to understanding plant-soil feedback as an important mechanism underlying forest community dynamics. The student will have access to field sites with large-scale thinning and prescribed fire treatments in an oak-hickory dominated plateau forest. Successful applicants will be expected to work independently and collaboratively as a research group member, develop independent research questions related to the overall project goals, conduct field work sometimes in remote locations, perform detailed laboratory analyses with a high level of precision, and publish research results. Qualifications: A B.S. degree in plant/forest ecology, forestry, environmental science, botany or related field. Strong communication skills (verbal and written) Experience in report-writing or drafting research articles Self-motivated, well-organized, adaptive to collaborative work Preference will be given to applicants with experience running experiments and advanced statistical analysis Miscellaneous: Please visit for specific information regarding the Environmental Sciences graduate program. Tennessee State University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. The Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is committed to promoting diversity in research. Members of underrepresented groups in STEM fields are highly encouraged to apply. We thank all applicants, but only those selected will be contacted. Salary: $26,400 annual stipend Benefits: Health benefits How to Apply: How to Apply: If interested, please submit the following documents in a single PDF file to Dr. Sarah McCarthy-Neumann (Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology) at sneumann@tnstate.edu A letter of interest (maximum 2 pages) Curriculum vitae Unofficial copies of transcripts (undergraduate) Unofficial GRE scores List of three references (name, title, affiliation, email address, and phone number) Review of the applications will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled. To be accepted into the graduate program, potential students must also apply through the TSU Graduate School at http://go.tnstate.edu/inquiryform. When applying, please indicate an interest in the Forest Ecology Graduate Assistantship in the required Statement of Interests.
