This position will work with the Dunton Lab to assist with field and experimental studies associated with coastal wetlands (seagrass and marsh systems). Laboratory duties include sample processing and inventory, data management, and instrument maintenance. Position located in Port Aransas, Texas. Only applicants authorized to work in the United States will be considered.
Responsibilities
- Conduct emergent and submergent vegetation and sea level monitoring along the entire Texas coast and other wetland sites as assigned. Overall duties include sampling and data entry via boat, hiking, swimming, and wading through mud and water in wetland habitats.
- Analysis of water samples in laboratory for Total Suspended Solids, chlorophyll, and nutrients.
- Process plant and sediment cores for organic matter, moisture content, dissolved pore water components, CHN and isotopic analysis, sediment grain size, and algal epiphyte enumeration and identification.
- Computer data entry, data QA/QC, some basic and preliminary data analysis.
- Assist with additional research related duties related to lab (sieving and sorting of biological material), field (instrumentation deployment), and outreach activities (with school children).
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in marine, biological, or environmental sciences, or a closely related field.
- General knowledge of local habitats, particularly coastal wetlands and associated flora and ecosystem processes.
- Strong organizational and computer skills (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
- Basic hiking and swimming ability.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with vegetation identification and field sampling methodology.
- Boat operating skills and comfort in aquatic habitat (wetlands and open water).
- Experience with analyses of sediment/water biogeochemistry and plant ecophysiology.
- Experience with grades K-8 outreach.
Driving Required
This job requires a class “C” operator’s driver’s license. The applicant selected must provide a current three year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver’s license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident. Employees who are required to have a CDL are subject to drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing).
Salary Range
$31,200
Working Conditions
- May work in all weather conditions.
- Will work in estuarine waters (temp range 12-35 degrees C) at 1-3 m depths.
- May work in extreme temperatures.
- May work around chemical fumes.
- Will work around standard office conditions.
- May work around chemicals.
- May work around electrical and mechanical hazards.
- Will work in muddy coastal wetlands.
- Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
- Manual dexterity required.
- Climbing of stairs.
- Lifting, moving, swimming.
Required Materials
- Resume/CV
- 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
- Letter of interest
