Natural Resources Job Board

Position Description:
One graduate research assistantship is available to pursue a degree in Natural Resource Sciences with a focus in Natural Resource Management and Plant Community Conservation/Preservation, at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, ND, USA. The graduate student will conduct collections-based research with an overall goal of leveraging historic plant collections in an investigation of modern research questions. Additionally, the research assistant will help develop educational outreach materials to communicate the importance of physical collections and highlight North Dakota’s unique landscapes and habitat types. Research duties include preservation and digitization of existing plant collections and the development of an independent research project using modern and/or historic plant collections (including identification of suitable specimens, data collection and analysis). The student is expected to communicate their findings in progress reports, departmental seminars, local interest group meetings, as well as, professional meetings. Academic responsibilities include taking classes and writing/defending an original thesis based on their research, in fulfilment of the degree requirements for a Master of Science degree at NDSU. The candidate must meet the admission requirements of both NDSU and the School of Natural Resource Sciences, and maintain academic qualifications of a graduate research assistant.

Qualifications:
Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree in the biological sciences, natural resources, plant sciences, or other closely related field (ideally with a botanical emphasis). Additional requirements include: 1) a motivated individual who is able to work independently and with others as part of a research team; and 2) familiarity with Great Plains plant communities and/or habitats. Desired additional abilities include: a) managerial and organizational skills; b) evidence of effective oral and written communication skills; c) field and/or lab experience; d) a willingness and enthusiasm for learning, which includes attention to detail and observational skills. Additional desirable skills include experience working with natural history collections and/or datasets, and experience with plant identification.

To Apply:
Applications to NDSU Graduate School are submitted at http://www.ndsu.edu/gradschool/

Before applying, the prospective student should contact Dr. Kobiela and provide 1) a letter of interests detailing how your experience and skill set meets or exceeds the required and preferred qualifications detailed above, 2) a resume or curriculum vitae including contact information for three references, 3) unofficial transcripts from your undergraduate institution, and 4) any relevant test scores (TOEFL, GRE). Preference will be given to applicants with GRE scores (verbal, writing, quantitative) above the 50th percentile. Inquiries and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.