Research Assistant

Job Summary

Towson University (TU) has earned distinction as both a top-100 public university and one of the nation's great colleges to work for. Located north of Baltimore, TU currently enrolls over 19,000 students and is the second-largest university in the prestigious University System of Maryland. Towson University fosters a climate that is grounded in respect to cultivating the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community.

The Besterman Coastal Ecology and Kraskura Ecological Physiology Labs in the Biological Sciences Department at Towson University (Maryland) are seeking to hire a Research Assistant (Contingent II staff) for a 1-year position (with option to renew for a second year). The Research Assistant will work independently, and with graduate and undergraduate students, as well as faculty and external partners, on multiple research projects in applied coastal ecology and conservation physiology.

The Besterman Coastal Ecology and Kraskura Ecological Physiology Labs in the Biological Sciences Department at Towson University (Maryland) are seeking to hire a Research Assistant (Contingent II staff) for a 1-year position (with option to renew for a second year). The Research Assistant will spend about 90% of their time in the Besterman Lab and 10% of their time in the Kraskura Lab, and will contribute to initiation and management of multiple research projects in addition to field work;

wet lab bench work; dry lab bench work; animal husbandry; data sensor and field instrument deployment and maintenance; and data entry, management and analysis, and ideally GIS analysis.

The position will be funded by a combination of lab start-up and grant support (internal and external). The Besterman Lab investigates dynamic changes in tidal salt marsh ecosystem structure and function, and consequences for habitat provisioning for marsh-breeding birds. Besterman-Lab research involves weekly collaboration with external academic, NGO, and governmental project partners. The Kraskura Lab explores how fish and other aquatic animals respond to environmental stressors including temperature and salinity fluctuations, hypoxia, altered flows and toxicants.

Responsibilities to include but not limited to:

• Seasonal field work in tidal marsh ecosystems. Overnight travel to eastern shore of Maryland field sites expected for majority of June and July with potential for additional trips in other months.
• Maintenance and deployment of water level and conductivity data loggers, field calibrations and data downloads.
• Field surveys of tidal salt marsh vegetation.
• Collection of soil, water, and vegetation samples.
• Supervision of field crew including undergraduate students.
• Coordination and planning support for field campaigns including managing scheduling of tasks, personnel, and other logistics around tides, weather, and variable travel distances.
• Animal collections from field sites and transportation to Towson University labs.

• Standard processing of vegetation biomass and soil samples.
• Soil pre-processing and particle size analysis using Beckman-Coulter laser diffraction particle size analyzer.
• Supervise undergraduate students, provide support to graduate students
• Assist with animal care and husbandry in the lab.

• Monitor standard lab supplies and assist with ordering and general lab management (cleaning, access, instrument-use).
• Manual data entry, quality control, and basic statistical analysis using Microsoft Excel and R programming language.
• Management of aerial imagery files, field photos, data logger exports, and other data streams.
• Depending on background and experience, GIS analysis of aerial imagery using ArcGIS including classifications, spatial statistical analysis.
• Assistance with task and deliverable tracking, coordinating with external project partners.

• B.S. or B.A. in relevant field (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science/Studies, Geography, Natural Resources, Wildlife Biology, Forestry, or similar) received prior to start-date, or received no later than 90 days after start date.
• Field research…