The Myers lab at Washington University in St. Louis (http://www.myersecologylab.com) seeks two seasonal field technicians to participate in two large-scale forest ecology projects at the university's field station, Tyson Research Center (http://tyson.wustl.edu): 1) a re-census of a temperate forest-dynamics plot that is part of the Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) global network of scientists and forest research sites dedicated to advancing long-term study of the world's forests (https://www.forestgeo.si.edu); and 2) a landscape-scale experiment investigating the importance of plant-functional traits in determining responses of forest diversity and ecosystem functioning to environmental change (prescribed fire) and natural enemies (seed predators & herbivores). The technician will develop skills and gain experience in 1) field protocols for censuses of long-term ForestGEO plots, including tree identification, tree mapping, and measurements of tree growth, mortality, and seed production; 2) data collection for large-scale field experiments, including surveys of plant community composition and dynamics across environmental gradients; 3) management of large data sets; 4) mentoring of undergraduate and high school students in field research, and 5) team-based ecological field research.
Position Details:
The positions are full-time, temporary positions(up to 6 months) with no benefits. Candidates interested in shorter positions(minimum of 3 months) are also encouraged to apply. Wages will be commensurate with experience. The positions are available starting between March 1 and May 23, 2023. The successful applicants will need to secure their own housing in St. Louis or near Tyson Research Center (20 miles from campus). Located on the edge of the Ozark ecoregion, Tyson Research Center is a 2000-acre field station dedicated to multi-scale research, teaching opportunities, and collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and levels of academic training.
Minimum requirements:
Bachelor’sdegreein a related field (e.g. biology, ecology, forestry); experience conducting field research; excellent teamwork skills; ability to work outdoors under a range of conditions that include steep terrain and hot or cold weather; proficiency with data entry using Microsoft Excel; enthusiasm to learn new concepts, field, and laboratory skills.
