M.Sc. position, Mount Allison University - Shorebird migration ecology

[Motus Wildlife Tracking System]

Dear Motus users, please forward this job posting along to any qualified individuals that might be interested.

M.Sc. position, Mount Allison University - Shorebird migration ecology

We have an opening for an M.Sc. student interested in studying aspects of migration ecology of Semipalmated Sandpipers. The focus of the work will be on movements, habitat use, foraging ecology, and rates of weight gain of adult and juvenile sandpipers during their migratory stopover in New Brunswick. There is a substantial radiotracking component in which we work with the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (motus.org). There are also opportunities for field work in Brazil during winter. An initial trip is planned for winter 2019.

The student will be based in Dr. Diana Hamilton’s lab at Mount Allison (https://sites.google.com/site/djhamiltonlab/Home/), and will work as part of a team of researchers from Mount Allison, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the University of New Brunswick. We will also be collaborating with researchers based in Brazil.

This project involves substantial field work under sometimes challenging conditions. There will also be some lab work involving basic biochemical and molecular analyses, as well as extensive data analyses using R. We are seeking a student who is independent, enjoys field research, is comfortable with technology and large data sets, and works well in a collaborative group setting. Experience with birds would be as asset, as would proficiency in R. Graduate students in the lab are expected to publish their work and attend and present at national/international conferences.

This position provides guaranteed funding for 2 years through NSERC and other grants, and the student will also be expected to apply for available funding from other sources when opportunities arise.

Interested students should submit the following documents by email to Dr. Diana Hamilton (dham...@mta.ca): 1) A cover letter describing your interests, experience and objectives for graduate school, 2) An up to date CV, 3) an unofficial transcript, 4) names and contact information for 2-3 people who could serve as references. If interested please apply as soon as possible - the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. The start date is flexible; registering for both Sept 2018 and January 2019 are options. Ideally the student would be available participate in field data collection in August and September 2018.