PhD Position – Rewilding with Beaver in the Western U.S.

Human-Environment Systems, Boise State University, Idaho, USA

We are recruiting a PhD student to join a transdisciplinary team focused on measuring the impact of beaver rewilding for ecosystem restoration. In particular, the student will use time-series satellite data and social-ecological modeling to measure mesic resources before and after beaver rewilding interventions across the entire western US.  Mesic resources, i.e. wetlands, riparian zones and wet meadows, are critical keystone resources for agricultural production, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in the West. The student will develop new metrics from remotely sensed datasets to measure the outcomes of beaver rewilding in terms of ecosystem restoration and the ecosystem services that mesic resources provide.

Dr. Jodi Brandt (Website) will be the student’s major advisor, and the student will join the Wetlands-SES working group at Boise State, and collaborate with scientists at the Beaver Ecology and Relocation Center at Utah State University. The student will be co-advised by other faculty and collaborate with other students in the Human-Environment Systems community (cid.boisestate.edu/hes), a group of faculty and students committed to team-based, actionable research that draws from multiple disciplines and addresses real-world environmental challenges. The student will pursue a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Computing, or Geosciences.

Qualifications

We are seeking a student with expertise in data science, remote sensing, spatial analysis, hydrology, and/or modeling. Because the analyses will be performed at the scale of the entire western U.S., the student must have strong computational training and the desire to further develop their expertise in data science, remote sensing, and programming. Stakeholder engagement is also an important part of the project, so experience with, and/or a desire to gain, transdisciplinary, actionable science skills is also required. Competitive students will have a Master’s degree and research or job experience related to the topics above.

Stipend and tuition and fees

This position includes support in the form of grant funding for at least two years (renewable, 12-month at $25,000, tuition and fee waiver, and health insurance), and an additional two years would be covered by external grants or a teaching assistantship. The position starts Fall (August) 2021 or Spring (January) 2022.

To Apply

Please send via email in a single file attachment (include your last name in the file name): a cover letter that states qualifications and career goals, a CV with the names and contacts for 3 references, and copies of transcripts (unofficial are O.K.) to Jodi Brandt (email: jodibrandt@boisestate.edu). Please put “PhD application-Beaver Rewilding” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Top candidates will be asked to formally apply to a Boise State graduate program.  The Graduate Dean must approve all admission decisions.

Boise State University embraces and welcomes diversity in its faculty, student body, and staff. Accordingly, applicants who would add to the diversity and excellence of our academic community are encouraged to apply.

About Boise

Boise State is in the beautiful city of Boise, which strikes a perfect balance with close-by outdoor recreational activities as well as a vibrant downtown life. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the capital of the State of Idaho, Boise is frequently featured as a top-ranked metropolis. The city has ample opportunities for world-class outdoor activities year round and a thriving arts and entertainment culture. In 2017, US News and World report ranked Boise the 12th best city to live in the United States. To learn more, please view “Visit Boise” link at: https://www.cityofboise.org/