Interested in joining the Alaska Rivers Lab?
Thanks for your interest! I am always happy to talk to prospective students, postdocs, and colleagues about research opportunities with the lab. As specific opportunities become available I will post them below. I encourage you to read about my research and mentoring philosophy to see if your interests align with mine.
If you’re interested in the work we do but don’t see any opportunities listed, do not be deterred–feel free to contact me anyway!
| EMAIL JEFF | 907-474-5773 Irving I, Room 211A Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Alaska Fairbanks PO Box 757020, Fairbanks, AK 99775 |
Working in the Lab
I am an employee of the USGS Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (“the coop unit”). My mission through the coop unit is to do research and provide graduate mentoring opportunities, and to serve the research needs of state and federal partners (AK Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, etc.) This includes matriculating students who will go on to work with and for those federal partners, although that is not the end-all-be-all of what student in the lab will go on to do.
If you work in the lab, odds are you will be an employee of the UAF Institute of Arctic Biology. I can advise graduate students through the Department of Fisheries or the Department of Biology and Wildlife. These each have their own degree programs and requirements, for both MS and PhD. Generally students in the coop unit are supported on Research Assistantships (RAs), although limited Teaching Assistantships (TAs) may also be available.
Life in Fairbanks
| Life in Alaska in general, and Fairbanks in particular, is different if you’re coming from the lower 48. I view these as an unending series of positives and negatives: You will see moose, most likely on campus. Sometimes they get in the way of doors and you have to go out the back. It will get very cold and very dark, but you’ll also see some amazing auroras (northern lights). Then summer comes and by July you’ll forget the sun ever sets. You may end up living in a dry cabin with no running water, but right outside your office you’ll have access to world-class ski trails. UAF pays a competitive wage to its staff and students, but living in Alaska is also very expensive. If you drive a car, you’ll learn what an oil pan heater is and why you need one. If you ride a bike, you’ll learn about fat tires. | I strongly encourage prospective students to talk to me as well as to current students to get a feel for what life up here is really like. It’s a wonderful place to live for some, but can be miserable for others. I want to be sure before you start that you’re confident you’ll be in the first category! |
Opportunities!
Postdoctoral Fellow: We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to synthesize lake water quality data in Southwest Alaska. These data have been collected by the National Park Service Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring network over 15 years, with some lakes re-sampled annually and others re-sampled semi-regularly across years. The successful applicant will compile and analyze these data to assess long-term trends in space and time. The research is expected to be guided by these broad questions:
- To what extent do lakes, or samples within lakes, group along an identifiable gradient, and what environmental or other conditions drive these groupings?
- Are there apparent intra- and interannual trends or trajectories of water quality change within and across lakes?
- Can future trends be forecast across lakes and interpolated within lakes given predicted future environmental conditions, using the multi-lake network to infer conditions even in cases where data are sparse?
The postdoctoral researcher will work closely collaborators with the National Park Service. The position is fully funded for 1 year. Working part-time on this project while maintaining other employment is also possible but should be discussed in advance. A physical presence in Fairbanks is preferred, although remote work options from elsewhere are possible. Pay is $28-32/hr (with benefits) depending on experience.
Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent in Ecology, Biology, or a related field by the anticipated date of employment. The successful candidate will possess expertise in all or a combination of statistical modeling, computing languages (e.g., R, SQL, Python), and spatial analysis (e.g., GIS). Prior experience working with large datasets, with data synthesis in lakes, and with water quality data are preferred. The Alaska Rivers Lab at UAF is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in freshwater sciences; applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
To Apply: Email me directly with a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin 1 November and will continue until the position is filled.
