Research Associate

MSU Jobs • Starkville, MS

35d

About The Position

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture seeks a Research Associate to help deploy and maintain a network of Motus stations to support research focused on migratory bird movements, including riparian corridors. The Research Associate will coordinate and support a regional migratory bird tracking and community engagement initiative using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. This position will oversee installation, monitoring, and maintenance of Motus tower stations across Mississippi; assist with avian capture and tagging efforts; manage data compilation and transfer; and coordinate outreach and workshop activities that promote public engagement in avian conservation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in wildlife ecology, conservation biology, natural resources, or closely related discipline.
• Valid U.S. driver's license.

Nice To Haves

• MS degree in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Natural Resources, or a closely related field; or BS degree with 3+ years of related experience
• Experience with the Motus Wildlife Tracking System
• Experience conducting field-based wildlife research.
• Experience with data management and organization.
• Familiarity with radio telemetry systems or wildlife tracking technologies.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining communication with a team.
• Knowledge of migratory bird ecology and Gulf Coast ecosystems

Responsibilities

• Assist with installation and setup of Motus Wildlife Tracking System tower stations at designated project sites
• Conduct routine monitoring, troubleshooting, and maintenance of Motus towers and associated telemetry equipment.
• Ensure proposer calibration, data acquisition, and system functionality at all sites.
• Support day-to-day project management activities, scheduling, reporting, and coordination among sites and partners.
• Coordinate with collaborating researchers to support tagging efforts and integrate shared Motus and telemetry data.
• Support capture, banding, and radio-tag deployment on target migratory and resident bird species.
• Support development of interactive data products (e.g., dashboards, story maps) to communicate findings to both scientific and public audiences.
• Assist in planning and coordinating a regional Motus and radio telemetry workshop that facilitates communication among state agencies, academic researchers, and conservation partners.
• The position will require some overnight travel to Motus stations and regional meetings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level