Natural Resources Job Board

The Division of Forestry and Natural Resources at West Virginia University is searching for a Master of Science (MS) student to determine occupancy and abundance of songbirds on recently (3-8 years) harvested forest stands during spring and fall migration on institutional private forests in West Virginia. Understanding how these young forest stands contribute as stopover habitat for migrating songbirds is of critical importance. This project provides a unique opportunity to evaluate use of regenerating forest stands by migrating songbirds in a large and patchily disturbed landscape. The student will determine occupancy and abundance using mist-nets and using Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs). The student will use pre-existing models to identify study areas. This research is in collaboration with National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., National Alliance of Forest Owners, and Weyerhaeuser Company under the auspices of the Wildlife Conservation Initiative, and Cornell University. 

The student will be working towards an MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources at West Virginia University. STARTING DATE: August 2025. The ideal applicant must be able to identify central Appalachian avian species by sight and sound and have extensive experience with mist-netting and handling birds. Applicants should also be familiar with collecting measurements of forest structure, including but not limited to: DBH, canopy cover (using spherical densiometers), Robel pole, Daubenmire frame, etc. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in R statistical packages, GIS, and song file analysis via RavenPro or similar software. Applicants should be comfortable working long days in the field during spring and fall months, ready to travel, and energetic and excited about applied avian conservation research on private working forests. Applicants will also be responsible for hiring and supervising a research technician to assist with research duties. Applicants must have completed a BS in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, or a closely related field. A minimum of 300 combined GRE score (V+Q) or 1100 on the previous scale, and a minimum 3.25 GPA are considered competitive. 

To Apply: Electronic applications are preferred. To apply send a single file including: 1) a cover letter outlining any relevant mist-netting and bird handling experience, 2) resumé including an unofficial copy of transcripts and GRE scores, and 3) contact information for 3 references to Dr. Chris Lituma; cml0017@mail.wvu.edu