I am looking for a motivated student who is interested in population modeling, wildlife ecology, and ornithology to join my lab as a PhD student starting either in May or August 2023. The PhD project will focus on developing a full annual cycle model of Cerulean Warblers using existing data, as well as newly collected data gathered by project partners, that will be used to identify population-specific data gaps, determine limiting life stages, and make projections of population viability. The student will have substantial latitude to develop their own research interests as well.
Fieldwork is not required, though there will be opportunities to participate in and/or conduct field research if the student is interested. This research will be carried out in close collaboration with the Cerulean Warbler Technical Group and is funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I value diversity and seek to foster an inclusive lab.
Students from under-represented groups are encouraged to apply. The student would enroll in the PhD program in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, as well as being a student in the USGS Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
The PhD student will receive compensation of $30,000 per year, plus tuition waiver ($15,000/yr) and student health benefits. The salary will come from a combination of Graduate Research (3 years) and Teaching Assistantships (1 year). Closing Date: For full consideration please email your materials prior to 5pm EST on Friday February 17, 2023. Expected Starting Date: May or August 2023.
Qualifications Required: An M.S. degree in wildlife ecology or related field (e.g., natural resources, ecology, biology, environmental science, statistics, etc.), strong academic record, and demonstrated quantitative skills, potentially including but not limited to: R programming, Bayesian hierarchical modeling, simulation modeling, or population viability analyses. The student must work well in a collaborative team as well as independently. Preferred, but not necessary: Ornithological knowledge, experience publishing in peer reviewed journals.
Application: Interested applicants should submit the following: Letter of research interests, CV, unofficial transcripts, and the names and contact information of three references in a single PDF file to: Elizabeth Hunter, ehunter1@vt.edu. Any questions about the position should be sent to the same email address. The selected applicant will need to apply to the Virginia Tech Graduate School before acceptance. Contact Person Elizabeth Hunter Contact eMail ehunter1@vt.edu
Salary 30,000/yr
Last Date to Apply: 02/17/2023
Information about the PhD program can be found at: https://fishwild.vt.edu/Graduate.html. Information about my lab at: https://hunterlab.weebly.com