Ph.D. Assistantship in Wildlife Ecology and Management – Ecology of wild turkeys in the
southeastern United States
Agency – Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia
Location – Athens, GA and study areas in northcentral and central Georgia
Salary – Stipend: $28,000 per year, tuition waiver, field housing and field transportation
Start date – flexible, no later than 1/1/2020
Last date to apply – 7/15/2019
Description – This work is a continuation of a field study designed to evaluate ecology of wild turkeys in
the Piedmont of Georgia, along with an assessment of how changes to regulatory frameworks may
influence turkey behavior and reproductive success. The successful candidate will conduct field work in
Georgia on multiple study areas, but will have access to datasets collected on study sites throughout the
southeastern United States. All of the field studies have used GPS transmitters to evaluate movements
and reproductive ecology of female wild turkeys. Likewise, extensive datasets detailing gobbling activity
of males are available and continue to be collected. The successful candidate will work with the Principle
Investigator to design a dissertation that best suits his/her interests, which could include topics related to
female or male behavior, reproductive ecology, various aspects of movement ecology, calling activity of
males, and many others. This project will also include assistance from numerous field technicians, and
collaboration with other researchers from the University of Georgia, Louisiana State University,
Tennessee Tech University, and the University of Missouri. Interested candidates are encouraged to
contact the Principal Investigator to discuss available datasets, as they will provide a truly unique
opportunity to the successful candidate.
Duration – 4 years.
Qualifications – B.S. and M.S. in Ecology, Wildlife Ecology, Biology or a closely related discipline; GPA
> 3.5 in graduate course work, fluency in English, valid driver’s license, good communication skills, and
willingness to work in hot, humid, and buggy field conditions. A willingness to embrace collaborative
research is a must. To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcripts, and contact
information for 3 references in a single pdf document.
Desired Experience – working knowledge of radio-telemetry and GPS technologies desirable, but a
working knowledge of GIS technology, both in the lab and field, is critical. The successful candidate will
ideally have experience coding in R. Previous field experience working with gamebirds is a plus, but is
not required.
Contact Phone – 706-542-6474
Contact Email – mchamb@uga.edu