Full Time Research Assistant at Bryn Mawr College

The Mozdzer lab at Bryn Mawr College, located in suburban Philadelphia, is searching for a full-time Research Assistant Position to begin on, or about April 15, 2021. The research assistant will work on a collaborative Bridging Ecology and Evolution NSF project with colleagues at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  Our collaborative project, “C-Evo,” aims to link genetic diversity and genomic variation to measures of plant physiology and carbon cycling.  The collaborative project will leverage an ongoing global change experiment at the Smithsonian Global Change Research Wetland, will initiate a new global change experiment in Maryland, and will initiate a de novo quantitative genetic study of trait variation.  The initial appointment is for one year, and is subject to annual renewal for up to three additional years. The research assistant will lead a team of undergraduate students in both the field and in the laboratory measuring: greenhouse gas fluxes, plant physiology, plant functional traits, and decomposition processes.  The research assistant will be responsible for maintaining the multi-year de novo quantitative genetic common garden at Bryn Mawr College, performing controlled crosses, and leading teams of undergraduate students in the measurement of plant traits, plant physiology, and decomposition processes.

Responsibilities:

●        Lead undergraduate students in the measurement of plant physiology and plant functional traits

●        Lead undergraduate students in the measurement of greenhouse gas fluxes

●        Measure soil processes and execute soil incubation studies

●        Maintain a collection of plants in a common garden

●        Measure blue carbon pools using standard techniques in the blue carbon manual

●        Process, analyze, and archive project data

●        Occasionally sample at irregular hours (early mornings, late nights, weekends) when necessary

●        Frequent contact with the students, public, and scientists will be required

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

●        Must have at BS in Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, Ecology, or related field with relevant field experience.

●        Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, the ability to work as a member of a team, and the ability to communicate positively with the public are required.

●        Travel is required.  The candidate must possess a valid US driver license with a clean driving record to qualify to use Bryn Mawr College vehicles.  The successful candidate will conduct fieldwork at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and will require week-long travel to the field sites monthly from May to November. 

Preferred Qualifications:

●        MS in Biology, Ecology, or related field, with relevant experience.

●        Experience measuring greenhouse gas fluxes using a Los Gatos Research Greenhouse Gas Analyzer and/or a gas chromatograph

●        Experience preparing samples for elemental analysis, and/or experience running an elemental analyzer, and/or the ability to learn

●        Experience running and maintaining an elemental analyzer (e.g. Costech ECS 4010)

●        Experience running and maintaining an isotopic analyzer  (e.g. Picarro G2201-i)

●        Experience collecting and/or analyzing greenhouse gas flux data

●        Experience in measuring leaf level photosynthetic rates using a LiCor6400XT

●        Experience in measuring plant functional traits

●        Experience maintaining a common garden

●        Experience in performing controlled crosses with grasses

●        Data management and analysis in R

●        Demonstrated skills in data organization, analysis, and report writing preferred

Physical requirements:

●        Must be capable of rigorous outdoor activity (lifting approx. 40 pounds, bending, carrying heavy equipment, canoeing, walking through waist-high marine waters, tidal wetland habitat, and/or forests to access field sites).

●        Must be able lead week-long field campaigns, working 7+ hours per day outdoors in tidal wetlands

●        Willing to endure occasional exposure to insects, ticks and poison ivy

Benefits:

This is a full time, salaried position.  The RA will be provided with Bryn Mawr College’s generous benefits including: paid vacation and sick time, medical insurance, dental insurance, retirement benefits, and educational benefits.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a list of references to Dr. Thomas Mozdzer, tmozdzer@brynmawr.edu as a single pdf.  In your cover letter, if applicable, please disclose any relevant incidents in your driving history that could prevent your ability to drive a Bryn Mawr College vehicle. Review of applications will begin immediately, but those received by March 15, 2021 will receive full consideration.  The anticipated start date is approximately April 15, 2021.  When submitting your application, please reference “C-Evo Research Assistant” in your subject line.

Bryn Mawr College is a distinguished liberal arts college for women with a vibrant faculty of scholar-teachers, a talented staff and intellectually curious students eager to make a difference in the world. The College is committed to increasing the diversity of its students, faculty, staff, and curricular offerings with a particular focus on enhancing ethnic and racial diversity and advancing social justice and inclusion. We believe diversity strengthens our community and enriches the education of our students. We have a student body of 1,350 undergraduates (34 percent are U.S. students of color and 22 percent are international students). There are 310 graduate students in coeducational graduate programs in social work, humanities and science.

Bryn Mawr College is located in metropolitan Philadelphia and enjoys strong consortial relationships with Haverford College, Swarthmore College, and the University of Pennsylvania. Bryn Mawr College is an equal-opportunity employer; candidates from underrepresented groups and women are especially encouraged to apply.