Natural Resources Job Board

The lab of Dr. Henry Streby in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Toledo invites applications for a PhD graduate student position starting Summer 2026. The Streby Lab studies population ecology, animal movement ecology, and evolutionary biology with the goals of producing actionable science for biodiversity conservation and management and improving our knowledge of the evolution of animal behaviors. Along the way, they strive to improve upon conventional methods and develop novel methods in field data collection and analysis to expedite progress in wildlife ecology research. To learn more about the Streby Lab, please visit www.henrystreby.com. 

 

The Streby Lab is seeking a PhD student to conduct dissertation research under a recently awarded grant to study various aspects of nocturnal migrant songbird movements and habitat selection in response to experimental manipulation of anthropogenic light. The successful candidate will join a diverse and friendly graduate program within the Department of Environmental Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The University of Toledo recently achieved R1 status as a highly research active university, with a beautiful campus nestled in a very affordable suburban area. The city of Toledo has many of the highlights of big cities (professional sports, nightlife, nationally recognized MetroPark system) without the exorbitant costs of most other places. Toledo is at the southern-most point of the Great Lakes and hosts incredible density and diversity of migratory birds, which attract more than $40M of tourism by bird enthusiasts every spring, and is an ideal location for ornithological research.

 

Qualifications: Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree, and preferably a Master’s degree, in Ecology or related field. They must have great interest in animal behavior and enthusiasm for the intensive processes of fieldwork, data processing, analysis, and writing and communicating about science to diverse audiences. Determination, curiosity, and a healthy level of skepticism are desired. Experience with analysis of avian nocturnal migration using the NEXRAD weather radar systems is desired. Experience identifying (sight and sound), capturing, handling, and banding birds of eastern North America is also desired. The successful candidate will have most, if not all, of these attributes. Enthusiasm for birding is not a necessary qualification and can be a liability for those who find it difficult to stay on task in areas of high bird activity. 

Applicants should send cover letter and CV to Henry Streby at the provided email address.