Deadline: Fri, 11/15/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: University of Alabama Job Field: Fisheries Job Type: Full Time Assistantship Location: Alabama Location Detail: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Job Description: PhD student: virus transmission in salmon We are seeking a PhD student to begin in Fall 2025. The student will be supervised by Dr. Paige Ferguson, Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alabama. Research will focus on estimating rates of exposure and infection of Pacific salmonids with infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and will build upon work such as Ferguson et al. (2018), Paez et al. (2020), and Mattheiss et al. (2023). The PhD student will work with Dr. Ferguson and collaborators to define the dissertation research questions, but potential directions include estimating the influence of juvenile abundance at salmon hatcheries on transmission, estimating the influence of dams on transmission, estimating the susceptibility of different host types to different IHNV lineages, and estimating exposure events in a complex spatial network. This is a great opportunity for a student to learn about disease ecology, Bayesian modeling, and fisheries management while working with a diverse and supportive group of collaborators. Qualifications: Applicants should have a background in many of the following: Fish and wildlife science, fisheries management, ecological modeling, statistics, computer programming, GIS, and clear written and oral communication. Applicants should be highly motivated, prepared to conduct independent research, and enthusiastic about writing scientific papers for publication. Miscellaneous: Additional information: Mattheiss, J., R. Breyta, G. Kurath, S. LaDeau, D. Páez, and P.F.B. Ferguson. 2023. Coproduction prevents bias about infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus transmission for Snake River Basin salmonids. Journal of Environmental Management 334: 117415. Páez, D., S. LaDeau, R. Breyta, G. Kurath, K. Naish, and P.F.B. Ferguson. 2020. Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus specialization in a multihost salmonid system. Evolutionary Applications, 00: 1-13. Ferguson, P.F.B., R. Breyta, I. Brito, G. Kurath, and S. LaDeau. 2018. An epidemiological model of virus transmission in salmonid fishes of the Columbia River Basin. Ecological Modeling, 377:1-15. Department of Biological Sciences: http://bsc.ua.edu/ Graduate School: http://graduate.ua.edu University of Alabama: http://www.ua.edu Tuscaloosa: http://www.tuscaloosa.com/visitor-services Outdoor opportunities in Alabama: http://www.outdooralabama.com Salary: Funding is available as a Graduate Teaching Assistant through the Department of Biological Sciences. Highly qualified applicants may be considered for Graduate School Fellowships, which offer a Research Assistantship during the student’s first year and a Teaching Assistantship in subsequent years. Benefits: The position comes with a full tuition waiver, a competitive stipend, and health insurance. How to Apply: https://bsc.ua.edu/ To apply, please email Dr. Ferguson (pfferguson@ua.edu) the following: A cover letter describing your interest in the project and prior experiences that have prepared you for graduate work in Dr. Ferguson’s lab Your transcript(s) (an unofficial copy is fine), A sample of your scientific writing (for example a manuscript or lab report), and Contact information for 3 references. Application are due November 15. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
