Waterfowl/Forestry Research Associate - Post-masters

Arkansas Forests Resource Center

University of Arkansas at Monticello

College of Forestry, Agriculture & Natural Resources

Waterfowl/Forestry Research Associate

The Arkansas Forests Resource Center at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources is seeking a Waterfowl Biologist or Forester to assist with all aspects of ecological restoration of bottomland hardwood forests and monitoring of waterfowl and other wildlife responses. The Research Associate position in the lab of Dr. Douglas Osborne will work towards an awarded USDA project of “Developing and harnessing climate-smart commodities from hardwood restoration for small and underserved landowners in the Southern Bottomland Region”. https://afrc.uada.edu/climate-smart-bottomlands/

Location and Facilities: The College of Forestry, Agriculture & Natural Resources is located in Monticello, Arkansas in the southeastern portion of the state. The Arkansas Forest Resources Center is also headquartered here and is administered by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The Arkansas Forest Resources Center is the research and extension arm for forest-based programs within the State. The College and Center maintain several state-of-the-art laboratories (hydrology, soil, quantitative analysis, forest health, silviculture, wildlife ecology & management) available for graduate research and education.

Project summary: Bottomland hardwood (BLH) forests have shown high potential for producing climate-smart commodities including C sequestration and storage, wood products, wildlife habitat, and other ecosystem services. Yet, 70% of BLH area have been lost in the past 100 years. There is a compelling need for restoring BLH forests, a viable climate-smart agricultural/forestry (CSAF) practice. This project aims to: 1) plant 500-600 acres of BLH oak forests in the agricultural dominant floodplain of the Red River Valley of southwestern Arkansas, the Ouachita River Valley of southcentral Arkansas, and the Bayou Meto Watershed in eastern Arkansas by recruiting 10 or more small and underserved landowners with a minimum of 5 underserved landowners; 2) quantify and demonstrate the ecological and economic benefits of BLH restoration on working lands; and 3) help these landowners manage the plantations and market climate-smart commodities.

Responsibilities: The Center is looking for a candidate with strength in at least one of the following areas:

·         Waterfowl ecology and management

·         Wildlife habitat evaluation

·         Forest inventory and monitoring

·         Forest restoration

·         Spatial ecology and statistical analysis

The position is a combination of research and outreach and has a guaranteed duration of 3 years. This person will perform and assist all aspect of the project, including forestry and wildlife field sampling (40%), compiling and analyzing data (25%), assist with restoration plans and site visits (15%), prepare project reports and manuscripts for conferences and publications (15%) and outreach (5%). The support is determined based on a salary of $48,000 per year with a 2% annual increase, retirement package, and health care plans.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a M.S. degree in or closely related to wildlife ecology and management, biology and environmental science, restoration ecology, or forestry. Familiarity with spatial analysis/GIS and statistical coding in R is desired. Practical experience and applied research interest in waterfowl ecology and management, wetland ecology, and forestry are required. Candidates should have the ability to work closely with different stakeholders (i.e., private landowners) in promoting wildlife habitat management and climate-smart forestry practices. The ability to work collaboratively with other faculty members and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations is also important. Anticipated start date flexible, but as early as 1 May 2024.

Salary: $48,000, plus excellent fringe benefits including health and retirement.

Application: Submit a cover letter, résumé, transcripts, a statement of research interest, and names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least three professional references (off-list references may be checked) to: Dr. Douglas Osborne, osborne@uamont.edu; 870-460-1448.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

UAM is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer and is subject to FOI requests.