MS Position Announcement: “Effects of Livestock Grazing on Greater Sage-Grouse Space Use” Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences College of Natural Resources University of Idaho:
Location: Moscow, ID
Salary: $30,000/year, plus tuition and health insurance
Start date: August 21st, 2023
Supervisor: Dr. Simona Picardi, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management
Position description: The Picardi Lab in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences at the University of Idaho is recruiting an MS student to research the effects of livestock grazing on greater sage-grouse space use. Livestock production and wildlife conservation are often considered to be at odds; this project will evaluate the potential for livestock grazing to be reconciled with conservation and used as a tool to enhance wildlife habitat.
By analyzing movements of sage-grouse in a landscape of pastures rested and grazed on a rotational basis, the project will evaluate competitive or facilitative relationships between livestock and sage-grouse. Field work will be based at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch, a recently established research station managed by the University of Idaho in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and Wood River Land Trust.
The successful candidate will coordinate and execute field data collection and sage-grouse captures, compile grazing schedules, manage movement data from animal-borne GPS tags, analyze sage-grouse movements and habitat selection using cutting-edge quantitative tools, and communicate results of the research in both written (scientific paper publication) and oral (public presentations) form.
To be successful in this position, a student must be willing and able to work outdoors on rough terrain and in harsh weather conditions; interested in learning advanced statistical analyses and reproducible data science tools; and capable of communicating and working collaboratively with partners from both academic and non-academic backgrounds (land managers, ranchers, and the public).
Qualifications:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in wildlife, biology, ecology, or closely related field;
• GPA 3.0 or higher;
• Valid U.S. driver’s license.
Preferred:
• Experience with capturing upland game birds;
• Experience with driving ATVs or other off-road vehicles;
• Familiarity with programming in R.
Application instructions:
To apply, prepare the following materials, combined into a single PDF:
Cover letter describing research interests and how this position aligns with them; past experiences and how they address the required and preferred qualifications for this position; relevant skills and how they will help you succeed in this position; and career goals and how this position will help you make progress towards them.
Curriculum vitae; Unofficial transcripts; Contact information (name, affiliation, phone, email address) for three professional references. For questions about the position, please contact Dr. Picardi at spicardi@uidaho.edu . The deadline to apply is June 15th, 2023. Submit your application here: https://airtable.com/shrjy4uxf7prI2v9D