Visiting Assistant Scientist, Conservation Ecology
Illinois Natural History Survey
Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) investigates and documents the biological resources of Illinois and other areas, and acquires and provides natural history information that can be used to promote the common understanding, conservation, and management of these resources. INHS is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Learn more at go.illinois.edu/PRIjobs.
The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.eud/EEO. To learn more about the University’s commitment to diversity, please visit http://www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu.
INHS is seeking a Visiting Assistant Scientist, Conservation Ecology to conduct research projects on the conservation and management of species and natural communities in Illinois. This position will be based in Springfield, Illinois.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manage, analyze, and translate research data into scientific findings and provide recommendations to funding agencies, collaborators, and other interested parties, including assessment of conservation status of Illinois species and development of mussel species models for the Midwest.
- Translate scientific data into reports for funding agencies, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations.
- Prepare research proposals targeting external funding.
- Communicate and interact with recipients of services and Wildlife Action Plan Coordinators in the region.
- Present research findings at professional conferences and stakeholder meetings.
- Respond to request for scientific/technical information and speaking engagements, participate in outreach and service events, and serve on internal committees.
- Represent the Survey, PRI, and the University of Illinois on committees.
- Coordinate and cooperate with the Survey, PRI, University of Illinois and other groups.
- Supervise, mentor, and lead staff to achieve success and foster a culture of innovation and high-level performance at both individual and organizational levels. This includes task assignment, scheduling, ongoing performance management with coaching and feedback, and travel approval.
- Perform other duties as needed in order to further the mission and goals of the Survey, PRI, and the University of Illinois.
- Keep abreast of developments in this discipline
Required Qualifications:
Master’s degree in Conservation Biology, Conservation Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, or related field. Alternate degree fields will be considered depending on the nature and depth of the experience as it relates to this position. A minimum of 3 years of with experimental design, survey design and analysis, Conservation Status Assessment, geospatial analysis and GIS, conservation design, natural resource management, and species recovery. Valid Driver’s License. Knowledge of conservation status assessment methods and development of conservation recovery plans. Knowledge in natural resource management, approaches to conservation of rare species and natural communities, species-distribution modeling. Knowledge of environmental and biological databases, survey methods for rare species, and multi-variate statistics. Effective communication, personal relations, collaboration, organizational, teamwork, and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to perform effectively in a diverse and fast-paced work environment consisting of multiple and changing priorities with stringent deadlines, under minimal supervision. Attention to detail, sound judgment, and strong conflict resolution skills. Proficiency in commonly-employed software and databases.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ph.D. in Conservation Biology, Conservation Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, or related field. Alternate degree fields will be considered depending on the nature and depth of the experience as it to this position. Experience working with government agencies. Experience with NHDPlus, Maxent modeling, and development of conservation recovery plans. Training in GIS, biological community assessment for conservation, and species modeling (Maxent and Marxan).
Environmental Demands:
Overnight travel may be necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this position.
Proposed Start Date: Negotiable
Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Appointment Status: This is a visiting, full time, academic professional, grant supported 12-month position subject to the continued availability of funding and programmatic need. This grant supported position has up to two years of funding with the possibility of additional funding in the future. Position may become a non-visiting position at a later date depending on funding and programmatic need.
To Apply: Applications must be received by February 5, 2019. Applicants may be interviewed prior to the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after this date. Please visit http://jobs.illinois.edu to complete an online profile and to upload 1) a cover letter that clearly articulates how your qualifications and experience make you a viable candidate for this position and should address the qualifications listed above, 2) a résumé/CV, and 3) the names and contact information (including e-mail addresses) of three professional references. All requested information/documentation must be submitted for applications to be considered. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
For further information, please contact Amber Hall, Human Resources, Prairie Research Institute at amberh@illinois.edu or 217-300-4080.
For technical inquiries regarding this position, please contact Yong Cao at yongcao@illinois.edu.
The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.
