Project: Status of Aquatic Macrophytes in Lakes of Michigan's Upper Peninsula We seek a Research Assistant to support the design, implementation, and analysis of aquatic plant (macrophyte) surveys in northern Michigan inland lakes. Responsibilities will include leading field surveys, supervising undergraduate technicians, data management, analysis, and reporting. The Research Assistant will communicate regularly about the project and results with stakeholders including lake users, lakefront property owners, and the project funder, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Until recently, data on the distribution and abundance of macrophytes in Michigan lakes have been broadly lacking. Our team at Michigan State University has now established a standardized protocol for data collection and consistently contracts with state and federal agencies to survey lake macrophyte communities. Macrophytes are a critical component of lake ecosystems and fish habitat, and are frequent targets of lake management activities, so lack of quantitative macrophyte data is a management impediment. We will survey macrophytes in 20-25 priority lakes, primarily in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and make the data available to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and other resource managers through a database and summary reports. We will also share our findings via outreach presentations for public audiences. Field work for this position will run approximately from May through September of 2026; work will be largely office-based during other months. The selected candidate can expect that their time will be roughly divided among the following tasks: 10% database management 10% GIS and data digitization 40% field work (travelling to northern Michigan lakes, using boats to navigate to sampling points and collect aquatic plants, recording survey data, and preservation of specimens while supervising seasonal technician(s)) 20% data analysis 20% stakeholder engagement: report writing, presentations, and meetings This project is being led jointly by Drs. Jo Latimore, Jeremy Hartsock, and Daniel Hayes at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University and Erick Elgin at Michigan State University Extension. We have overlapping and complementary strengths in sampling and database design, analysis of quantitative field data, limnology, and aquatic plant sampling and management as well as public engagement with lake management.