MS and PhD Assistantship – Climate change and land use in grasslands

One MS and one PhD research assistant position is available in the Leffler Lab of the Department of Natural Resource Management for students interested climate change and land management in grassland ecosystems. Students will examine how climate change and land use interact to influence plant function and ecosystem processes. Studies will involve experimental manipulation of temperature and precipitation, and measurement of forage production, greenhouse gas flux, and N transformations. This is an opportunity to get involved with several long-term experiments as they are established. I seek students with strong backgrounds in ecology, quantitative skills, and a willingness to conduct fieldwork in managed landscapes. Experience with plant/ecosystem gas exchange, dataloggers, and data analysis using R is helpful, but not required. The Ph.D. assistantship includes a stipend of ca. $19k/year; the M.S. assistantship includes a stipend of ca. $17k/year. Both include partial tuition waivers. The Department of Natural Resource Management at South Dakota State University combines Range, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Ecology within the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. SDSU is the Land Grant University for the state and has approximately 13,000 students. To apply, send a single PDF with CV; unofficial transcripts; a letter describing your experience, research interests, and career goals; and contact information for three professional references to Josh Leffler (joshua.leffler@sdstate.edu).