PhD Assistantship or Post-doc: Movement Ecology of Giant Galapagos Tortoises

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry is seeking a motivated PhD student or post-doctoral scholar to join a team of ecologists tracking with state-of-the-art GPS tags large numbers of adult Galapagos giant tortoises from four different species on three islands. Primary research questions relate to the environmental and ecological drivers of migration, the life history and physiological traits that determine when, where, how and why an individual will migrate, whether migration confers health and reproductive benefits over sedentarism, and how migration can best be sustained in the face of environmental change.

This is an ideal project for an individual who can combine excellent quantitative and field skills with an interest in working at the interface of movement modeling, remote sensing, landscape ecology, and tropical conservation biology. The following will be required:
- statistical and simulation modeling of animal movement
- spatial analysis and remote sensing
- fieldwork under physically challenging conditions
- translating science into conservation

The project is based at the SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, New York. Project leaders are Stephen Blake, James Gibbs, Sharon Deem, Jacqui Frair, and Charles Yackulic. Support is through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Project is in collaboration with the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation. The doctoral student would matriculate through and the post-doc would be appointed within the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology at SUNY when not conducting fieldwork in the Galapagos Islands.

http://www.esf.edu and http://www.gianttortoise.org/

To apply, please email as a single pdf document: (1) a statement of interest, qualifications, and start date availability, (2) a CV, and (3) contact information for three references to James P. Gibbs (jpgibbs@esf.edu). The position is open until filled, with potential start dates of Jan 10, May 15, or Aug 15 2014 (dependent on applicant(s) chosen).

Qualifications
• M.S. degree for PhD position or PhD degree for post-doc position
• Animal ecology background
• Strong quantitative skills and statistical experience
• Proficiency in GIS
• Extended field experience under remote conditions
• Ability to interact effectively with conservation organizations
• Spanish ability and international experience (preferable)

Salary
PhD: $20,000-$25,000/year plus tuition and benefits (three years) or Post-doc: approx. $45,000/year plus benefits (two years)

Start Date
Jan 1, May 15 or Aug 15 2014
Last Date to Apply
Dec 15 2013

Contact Information:
Contact Person
James Gibbs
jpgibbs@esf . edu