Research Assistant

Towson University•Lexington, MA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Besterman Coastal Ecology and Kraskura Ecological Physiology Labs in the Biological Sciences Department at Towson University (Maryland) are seeking to hire a Research Assistant (Contingent II staff) for a 1-year position (with option to renew for a second year). The Research Assistant will spend about 90%25 of their time in the Besterman Lab and 10%25 of their time in the Kraskura Lab, and will contribute to initiation and management of multiple research projects in addition to field work; wet lab bench work; dry lab bench work; animal husbandry; data sensor and field instrument deployment and maintenance; and data entry, management and analysis, and ideally GIS analysis. The position will be funded by a combination of lab start-up and grant support (internal and external). The Besterman Lab investigates dynamic changes in tidal salt marsh ecosystem structure and function, and consequences for habitat provisioning for marsh-breeding birds. Besterman-Lab research involves weekly collaboration with external academic, NGO, and governmental project partners. The Kraskura Lab explores how fish and other aquatic animals respond to environmental stressors including temperature and salinity fluctuations, hypoxia, altered flows and toxicants.

Requirements

B.S. or B.A. in relevant field (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science/Studies, Geography, Natural Resources, Wildlife Biology, Forestry, or similar) received prior to start-date, or received no later than 90 days after start date.
Field research experience (independent research as an undergraduate, REU, CURE, or similar will be considered).
Experience with data management and analysis.
Detail-oriented, excellent organizational skills.
Strong leadership and communication skills, ability to supervise and lead in the field and in the lab.
Ability to mentor and/or supervise undergraduate students, field crews, and/or lab research students/assistants.
The candidate needs to be able to work long field days in difficult environmental conditions (temperatures over 90 degrees, biting insects, uneven terrain and soft mud, occasional trips possible all seasons during cold weather as well).
Research Assistant must be able to carry up to 50 pounds while walking across field sites; must be able to walk 5+ miles in a day of field work.
Candidate must have their own vehicle and be able to travel to the eastern shore of Maryland for multiple weeks at a time. Research Assistant will stay in shared housing at field sites for at least 75%25 of May-August.
The Kraskura Lab works mostly on vertebrate animals. The Candidate will be required to complete Animal Care training modules and comply with all Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines.

Nice To Haves

Experience with data management.
Experience using R programming language for statistical analysis and data visualization.
Experience with field work in wetland, coastal, and/or aquatic ecosystems.
Experience with GIS or other spatial data analysis.

Responsibilities

Seasonal field work in tidal marsh ecosystems. Overnight travel to eastern shore of Maryland field sites expected for majority of June and July with potential for additional trips in other months.
Maintenance and deployment of water level and conductivity data loggers, field calibrations and data downloads.
Field surveys of tidal salt marsh vegetation.
Collection of soil, water, and vegetation samples.
Supervision of field crew including undergraduate students.
Coordination and planning support for field campaigns including managing scheduling of tasks, personnel, and other logistics around tides, weather, and variable travel distances.
Animal collections from field sites and transportation to Towson University labs.
Standard processing of vegetation biomass and soil samples.
Soil pre-processing and particle size analysis using Beckman-Coulter laser diffraction particle size analyzer.
Supervise undergraduate students, provide support to graduate students
Assist with animal care and husbandry in the lab.
Monitor standard lab supplies and assist with ordering and general lab management (cleaning, access, instrument-use).
Manual data entry, quality control, and basic statistical analysis using Microsoft Excel and R programming language.
Management of aerial imagery files, field photos, data logger exports, and other data streams.
Depending on background and experience, GIS analysis of aerial imagery using ArcGIS including classifications, spatial statistical analysis.
Assistance with task and deliverable tracking, coordinating with external project partners.