Agency/Organization: University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Lab

Location: UGA (Athens, GA) / Savannah River Ecology Lab, near Aiken, SC

Job Category: Graduate Assistantship

Salary: Stipend w/tuition remission (some teaching may be required while on campus)

Start Date: Jan 2025

Last Date to Apply: We request that applicants apply by 30 September 2024.

Websites: www.lancelab.org

Description: The Lance Lab is seeking student(s) to assist with exciting new basic and applied ecological research, with an emphasis on amphibian conservation, wetland ecology, and/or habitat restoration. The Lance Lab is collaborating with The Longleaf Alliance, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the US Forest Service and numerous private landowners to 1) headstart gopher frogs for population augmentation and/or reintroductions, 2) develop environmental DNA techniques for monitoring amphibian communities, and 3) examine how head-starting conditions and habitat restoration combine to influence juvenile survival. Opportunities exist for student(s) to contribute to the above projects and develop additional studies depending upon their interests and career goals. For example, we’d be very interested in projects designed to further our understanding of how wetland water quality, upland management, and/or headstarting treatments affect juvenile survivorship. We collaborated with the USFS-Savannah River to develop a gopher frog habitat management plan and there is opportunity to manipulate upland and wetland habitats for treatment regimes.

The successful applicants would be expected to enroll in either a MS or PhD program at the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology. Typically, students spend two semesters on the main campus before moving to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL; Aiken County, SC). However, for this position we are looking for someone to start THIS JANUARY at the SREL and then take classes during the 2025-2026 academic year. The successful applicant would oversee gopher frog headstarting in the spring of 2025 and be able to collect preliminary data for their thesis. The SREL is a remote unit of the University of Georgia located on the Savannah River Site, approximately 2.5 hrs away from the UGA main campus. The selected student(s) will also be expected to publish the work as peer-reviewed manuscripts, with manuscripts in “submission-ready” form prior to graduation.

Applicants should apply to UGA graduate school online. Details on the application process are here: https://grad.uga.edu/admissions/apply-now/ but you are encouraged to explore the UGA Odum School of Ecology website https://ecology.uga.edu/ and their guidelines for applying https://ecology.uga.edu/apply-now/grad-program-process/ as they are more specific. In addition, if you are not selected for this position, but would like your application to be considered by other Odum faculty you should mention their names at the bottom of your statement of purpose. Please reach out to Dr. Stacey Lance ([email protected]) if you have questions and to inquire more about the position before submitting a formal application to UGA. Submissions will be considered as they are received but are due no later than 30 September 2024. Note that the graduate school deadline of Dec 1 applies to students being considered for Fall of 2025 and not for this coming January.

Qualifications: Minimum qualifications include a B.S. degree in ecology, the biological sciences, environmental sciences, or related discipline. Preferred qualifications include previous field and/or laboratory experience, prior experience conducting independent research, and demonstrated writing skills and the ability to work well in a team. A positive attitude, strong work ethic, and good communications skills are all a must.

Contact person: Dr. Stacey Lance

Contact email: [email protected]