Post Doctoral Scholar

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

8d

About The Position

The Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Laboratory in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to lead and support research on wild turkeys and other game birds in Ohio. The position will work in close partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and other collaborators. Primary responsibilities include analyzing telemetry and demographic data to assess movements, habitat use, seasonal survival, and nesting success of wild turkeys. The postdoc will also coordinate ongoing radio-telemetry fieldwork conducted by graduate students and technicians in northeastern and southwestern Ohio. In addition, the position will collaborate with agency biologists from neighboring states (e.g., PA, MD, WV, NJ) to conduct multistate analyses of population vital rates across the mid-Atlantic region. The successful candidate will prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, contribute to conference presentations, and assist in developing grant proposals. Opportunities are also available to participate in teaching and outreach activities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources. Other research-related duties will be performed as assigned.

Requirements

• Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in wildlife ecology, animal ecology, or a closely related field and have demonstrated expertise or strong interest in the ecology and management of game birds.
• A minimum 3 years of experience conducting research relevant to wildlife ecology and management during graduate studies and/or post-graduate employment is required.
• The ideal candidate will have a solid background in quantitative methods, with particular emphasis on spatial data analysis, landscape ecology, and the integration of telemetry, demographic, and environmental data.
• High proficiency in R or comparable programming languages is required, and experience with statistical modeling, geographic information systems (GIS), and handling large spatial datasets is essential.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, along with the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team, are expected.
• Candidates must be able to operate motor vehicles (light trucks) and possess a valid state driver’s license.
• A commitment to learning new analytical approaches, developing new skills, and contributing to professional growth is highly valued.

Nice To Haves

• Applicants with experience in forest or wildlife habitat classification using remotely sensed data will receive special consideration.

Responsibilities

• With oversight from the project Principle Investigator, coordinates with Ohio Division of Wildlife research and management staff to radio-tag 50 wild turkey hens in southwestern Ohio.
• With oversight from the project Principle Investigator, coordinates and develops daily and seasonal work plans with graduate students and field technicians to radio-track 80–90 wild turkey hens in southwestern and northeastern Ohio, assisting when needed with field work, including tracking and downloading movement and activity data, nest checks, carcass recovery and vegetation measurements as needed.
• Maintains and improves an integrated data management system for summary and analysis of movement and activity, hen and nest survival, vegetation, and GIS data sets.
• Collaborating with muti-state agency and university partners, performs statistical analysis and modeling of wild turkey movement and activity, hen and nest survival, vegetation (nest and brood sites), and remotely-sensed data.
• Preparing manuscripts for publication, quarterly and annual research reports, oral and poster presentations at professional conferences and other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees