Field and lab research technician at Davidson College, NC, USA

Position Overview

The Davidson College Department of Biology (https://www.davidson.edu/academics/biology) has an immediate need for a temporary (3-6 month) field and laboratory research technician.  Although the position is temporary (3-6 months), this is a long term project with the possibility of future employment opportunities.  The technician will work on a new, 5-year, NSF-funded research project under the direction of PI Kevin Smith (https://www.davidson.edu/academics/biology/faculty-and-staff/kevin-smith).  The project focuses on experimentation in terrestrial and aquatic mesocosms with the goal of better understanding patterns and processes of local and regional species extinction.  The technician will be part of a research group of dynamic, dedicated, and engaged Davidson students and the PI.

Primary Duties

The technician will support the PI and Davidson students in their research on terrestrial arthropod communities.  The technician will 1) assist with arthropod collection and identification and curation of a reference collection; 2) assist with field data collection, experimental maintenance, and experimental treatment implementation; 3) assist with data curation and storage, analysis, and dissemination of research results; 4) establish new mesocosm and field experiments.

Minimum Qualifications

*       Bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental studies (with a focus on natural science), or a related field, preferably with coursework in ecology and conservation biology.

*       Experience with the identification of terrestrial arthropods, either in an academic or research setting.

*       Experience with statistical analysis and data management

*       Experience with field research

*       Immediate availability for the summer 2017 field season

Preferred qualifications

A combination of any of the following is likely to enhance a candidate’s prospects:

*       A Master’s degree in an ecological or environmental discipline

*       Familiarity with statistical analysis in the R programming environment, including experience coding

*       Direct research experience with terrestrial arthropods

Salary will be commensurate with education, skills, and experience.  Questions can be addressed to Kevin Smith at kgsmith@davidson.edu<mailto:kgsmith@davidson.edu> .

To apply, please visit http://www.davidson.edu/offices/human-resources/work-at-davidson and click on “Staff” under “Apply for Jobs”.

Davidson College is a highly selective, independent liberal arts college located in Davidson, North Carolina, that has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country.  Davidson is strongly committed to achieving excellence and cultural diversity, and welcomes applications from women, members of minority groups, and others who would bring additional dimensions to the college’s mission.

Kevin G. Smith

Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies