The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment research faculty actively recruit graduate candidates to assist with their diverse research programs. Available positions are included in the below directory, which is updated frequently but may not include all opportunities.

For other opportunities not posted, please consult with a faculty member most aligned with your research interests or inquire with Audrey Grindle, Graduate Student Coordinator, for further guidance at 334-844-9250 or  apg0008@auburn.edu. Future students may also wish to consult the Texas A&M Jobs Board for positions that may not yet be included within the college’s directory.

The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educational Institution.

Ph. D. Assistantship in Avian Ecology | Impacts of Land Management on Breeding Birds

Avian Ph.D. Assistantship Position

Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL  

Position: Avian Ecology Graduate Assistantship (Ph.D.) 

Salary: Ph.D., $28,000 per year 

Includes tuition remission and benefits 

Start Date: Flexible, ideally will begin either the Fall semester of 2023 (August 16th) or the Spring semester of 2024 (January 10th). 

Description: We are seeking two motivated graduate students (1 M.S., 1 Ph.D.) in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University to spearhead a project focused on understanding the impacts of land management on breeding birds. These positions are fully funded and will be supervised by Dr. Jonathon Valente (https://www.JonathonValente.com/) and Dr. Christopher Lepczyk (https://cfwe.auburn.edu/profile/christopher-lepczyk/).  

The projects will involve a substantial field component, and successful candidates will have experience conducting avian point counts, supervising personnel, interacting with landowners, and be comfortable working in remote settings. Candidates should also have a strong interest in population modeling and experience with statistical tools and techniques will be valuable. The overall goal of the research project will revolve around understanding how breeding birds have responded to historical management activities on state-owned lands and predicting future responses of avian communities. However, selected students will be encouraged to develop their own research questions within the scope of this project, which could revolve around source-sink dynamics, habitat selection, predictive modeling, species distribution modeling, fragmentation, management, integrated population modeling, and methodological development.   

Required Qualifications:  

  • Bachelors/M.S. degree in Wildlife, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, or other closely related field. 
  • Strong communication skills in oral and written English.  
  • Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.  
  • Self-motivation, a positive attitude, and strong interpersonal skills. 

Desired Qualifications:  

  • Applicants for the Ph.D. position will be ranked higher if they have an existing MS degree in Wildlife, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, or other closely related field. 
  • Experience presenting and publishing peer-reviewed research. 
  • Experience working with government agencies. 
  • Experience with logistical coordination of field work and personnel avian point counts, population modeling, species distribution modeling, Bayesian data analysis, GIS software, and the R statistical programming language   
  • Interest in developing field- and computer-based skills. 
  • Have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: ecology, biology, zoology, wildlife, population modeling, species distribution modeling, or a related field.   

Additional Information: This research is being conducted as part of a larger multi-taxa effort to understand how management activities impact biodiversity. Selected students will have the opportunity to collaborate with a large team of AU faculty and graduate students, and biologists from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project will involve fieldbased sampling in 6 ecoregions (Interior Low Plateau, Southwestern Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, Piedmont, Southeastern Plains, and Southern Coastal Plain) throughout Alabama, the most biodiverse U.S. state east of the Mississippi River. 

How to apply: Interested individuals should contact Dr. Jonathon Valente (jjv0016@auburn.edu) and Dr. Christopher Lepczyk (lepczyk@auburn.edu) with any questions.   

To apply, please state “Avian Ph.D. Assistantship Position” in the email subject line to both addresses and include (1) a cover letter that states why you are interested in and qualified for the position, (2) a CV, (3) unofficial transcripts, (4) contact information for 3 references, and (5) TOFEL scores if applicable. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible because applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.   

More information about our graduate program can be found here: https://cfwe.auburn.edu/graduate-study/graduate-degrees/   

M.S. Assistantship in Avian Ecology | Impacts of Land Management on Breeding Birds

Avian M.S. Assistantship Position

Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL  

Position: Avian Ecology Graduate Assistantship (M.S.) 

Salary: $24,000 per year 

Includes tuition remission and benefits 

Start Date: Flexible, ideally will begin either the Fall semester of 2023 (August 16th) or the Spring semester of 2024 (January 10th). 

Description: We are seeking a motivated graduate students in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University to spearhead a project focused on understanding the impacts of land management on breeding birds. These positions are fully funded and will be supervised by Dr. Jonathon Valente (https://www.JonathonValente.com/) and Dr. Christopher Lepczyk (https://cfwe.auburn.edu/profile/christopher-lepczyk/).  

The projects will involve a substantial field component, and successful candidates will have experience conducting avian point counts, supervising personnel, interacting with landowners, and be comfortable working in remote settings. Candidates should also have a strong interest in population modeling and experience with statistical tools and techniques will be valuable. The overall goal of the research project will revolve around understanding how breeding birds have responded to historical management activities on state-owned lands and predicting future responses of avian communities. However, selected students will be encouraged to develop their own research questions within the scope of this project, which could revolve around source-sink dynamics, habitat selection, predictive modeling, species distribution modeling, fragmentation, management, integrated population modeling, and methodological development.   

Required Qualifications:  

  • Bachelors degree in Wildlife, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, or other closely related field. 
  • Strong communication skills in oral and written English.  
  • Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.  
  • Self-motivation, a positive attitude, and strong interpersonal skills. 

Desired Qualifications:  

  • Experience presenting and publishing peer-reviewed research. 
  • Experience working with government agencies. 
  • Experience with logistical coordination of field work and personnel avian point counts, population modeling, species distribution modeling, Bayesian data analysis, GIS software, and the R statistical programming language   
  • Interest in developing field- and computer-based skills. 
  • Have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: ecology, biology, zoology, wildlife, population modeling, species distribution modeling, or a related field.   

Additional Information: This research is being conducted as part of a larger multi-taxa effort to understand how management activities impact biodiversity. Selected students will have the opportunity to collaborate with a large team of AU faculty and graduate students, and biologists from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project will involve fieldbased sampling in 6 ecoregions (Interior Low Plateau, Southwestern Appalachians, Ridge and Valley, Piedmont, Southeastern Plains, and Southern Coastal Plain) throughout Alabama, the most biodiverse U.S. state east of the Mississippi River. 

How to apply: Interested individuals should contact Dr. Jonathon Valente (jjv0016@auburn.edu) and Dr. Christopher Lepczyk (lepczyk@auburn.edu) with any questions.   

To apply, please state “Avian M.S. Assistantship Position” in the email subject line to both addresses and include (1) a cover letter that states why you are interested in and qualified for the position, (2) a CV, (3) unofficial transcripts, (4) contact information for 3 references, and (5) TOFEL scores if applicable  We encourage you to apply as soon as possible because applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.   

More information about our graduate program can be found here: https://cfwe.auburn.edu/graduate-study/graduate-degrees/   

M.S. Assistantship in Forestry | Adaptation and Eco-Physiology Responses of Trees to Stressors

M.S. Assistantship in Forestry (adaptation and eco-physiology responses of trees to stresses)

Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL 

Position: Graduate Assistantship 

Start Date: 08/16/2023  

Website: https://cfwe.auburn.edu/ 

Description: This position is a 2-year assistantship for a Master of Science in Forestry in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University. The student will conduct research in the assessment of forest tree adaptation and physiological functions for stresses and nursery challenges including biotic and abiotic factors.  The start date is the beginning of September 2023 (Fall 2023).   

Qualifications: Applicants must have a bachelors degree in forestry, ecology, horticulture, environmental studies, biology, or a closely related field. Technical communication skills in oral and written English and ability to work as part of a team and independently required.  Must be comfortable communicating with stakeholders and clients. Background in green-house experiments and/or skills with statistical analyses preferred. 

Preferred Experience: Publication record, background in hardiness and phenology studies and seedling studies, R programming as a plus, and experience with tree genetics and physiology 

Additional Information: 

Current research in Chen Ding’s lab focuses on climatic adaptation for reforestation and nursery production and management of seedlings. The program will be affiliated with the Southern Forest Nursery Management Co-op, which aims to develop and disseminate available cultural, biological, and chemical technologies to economically produce and utilize forest-tree seedlings in the southern United States.  The research project will provide both genetic and physiological evidence and operation prescriptions to cope with multiple stresses, to advance both the sustainability and socioeconomic benefits of the forestry industry.  The project will focus on the development of methods and frameworks to characterize the genetics of adaptation and eco-physiological processes using both genetic trials and nursery tests.  This will involve integrating field-based long-term measurements with data obtained from multiple controlled environmental studies using advanced statistical modeling techniques.  The research project will advance the understanding of stress and adaptation-related mechanisms from both the genomic level and landscapes. The student selected will be expected to effectively communicate across disciplines and maintain a record of scholarly publications. 

How to Apply: 

Interested individuals should contact Dr. Chen DING at czd0084@auburn.edu . Please state “Master Assistantship Position” in the email subject line and include (i) your research interests (statement of interest), (ii) GRE and/or TOFEL scores, (iii) CV, and (iv) unofficial transcripts. The review of applicants will begin immediately. 

Other Research Positions

TES Research Technician – Feral Hogs

Learn more and apply online.