Description
Description We are recruiting a PhD student to lead research using telemetry, satellite, and autonomous recording unit (ARU) technology to study the spatial ecology and demography of a shrubland and forest bird of high conservation concern, the Mountain Quail. Mountain Quail are ranked by Washington state as Critically Imperiled and included on the Priority Habitats and Species list. The student will be advised by Dr. Jeff Manning at Washington State University, with Stephanie Simek at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as a committee member. Field work will take place on and around WDFW Wildlife Management Areas and US Forest Lands in southeast Washington and west central Idaho. The student will lead a team of 2-3 interns/technicians each season as part of a larger, collaborative WSU and WDFW Mountain Quail ecology research program. Fieldwork will involve capturing, tagging, and tracking Mountain Quail across seasons, re-sighting marked birds, nest searching, avian and mammalian predator surveys, and quantification of resources. The student will also assist with mark-recapture surveys for estimating detection probabilities and densities. A large part of the student’s work will center around the development and evaluation of models that test hypotheses involving the landscapes of fear, energy, intra-specific competition, and resources under a hierarchical modeling framework to determine factors that limit Mountain Quail populations and inform translocation and habitat management strategies across southeast Washington and neighboring Idaho and Oregon regions. This position provides an excellent opportunity for a student interested in avian ecology, behavioral ecology, and spatial ecology to conduct applied research of high conservation importance. This student will work collaboratively with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists and biologists in neighboring states. The student is expected to begin classes in Fall 2022 at Washington State University in Pullman, WA. The student would have the option of joining the project as a paid member of the field crew in May or June 2022 to gain familiarity with the ecosystem, study species, and field conditions. Washington State University is a Research 1 land-grant institution, with diverse research programs, including that in the School of the Environment. The main campus is located in Pullman, 90 miles south of Spokane, WA in the scenic Palouse Prairie, a rural prairie with rivers, creeks, lakes, dry farming, and rolling hills and mountains that provide many recreational opportunities. Support for this project includes 4 years of Research Assistantship. This assistantship is ~$25,000 per year with benefits and a tuition waver. Funding for research-related expenses (vehicle, field housing, field supplies, etc.) are included. Additional information is available here: Jeff Manning’s website: https://labs.wsu.edu/manning/ Washington State University School of the Environment: https://environment.wsu.edu/graduate-studies/ Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oreortyx-pictus
Qualifications
Master’s degree in Wildlife Biology or related field. Ideal candidates would have demonstrated experience with ground bird nest searching/capture/banding, as well as mark-recapture field sampling and modeling. Familiarity with northwest forest/shrubland systems and ARU technology is desirable but not required.
To apply, please submit the following materials via email to Dr. Jeff Manning ([email protected]): 1) a single pdf that includes a 1-page cover letter career goals and how you meet the qualifications described above, 2) CV/resume, 3) unofficial college transcripts, 4) GRE percentiles (if available), and 5) contact information for 3 references. Specify in the email subject line Mountain Quail PhD application.
Contact Person
Jeff Manning
Contact eMail
Related articles:
