Trent University
1 week ago
PhD Assistantship in Moose Population Ecology Trent University in Canada
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Funding package of approximately $34,000 per year, combining a graduate teaching assistantship, internal fellowships, and a research assistantship. Shared housing is provided during the first 2–3 years while working full time in the field. Tuition fees are not waived; scholarship awards may be applied for separately and will not reduce the funding package.
Deadline
Nov 15, 2026
Country
Canada
University
Trent University
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About this position
PhD assistantship in moose population ecology at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The project is part of a large, multi-year field study on the factors limiting and regulating moose populations in Ontario, with a strong focus on population dynamics, predator-prey dynamics, and variation in moose vital rates.
The student will join a team working with GPS-collared moose, American black bears, wolves, and white-tailed deer, and will help assess cause-specific mortality and broader ecological interactions. Research questions will be developed collaboratively, giving the successful applicant substantial freedom to shape a project grounded in ecological theory.
Field work is extensive and varied, including live trapping, collar deployment, helicopter capture of moose, trail cameras, non-invasive sampling, vegetation surveys, hunter surveys, aerial population surveys, and other field components. The student is expected to conduct significant field work for their own project and assist with the broader project.
Funding: approximately $34,000/year, made up of a graduate teaching assistantship, internal fellowships, and a research assistantship. Shared housing is provided for the first 2–3 years while working full time in the field. Scholarship applications are encouraged and will not reduce the funding package.
Eligibility and preferences: M.Sc. in ecology, wildlife biology, or a related field is preferred, though exceptional experience may substitute. Applicants must meet Trent University’s minimum entrance requirements. Strong ecology background, quantitative and analytical skills, writing and oral communication ability, peer-reviewed publication experience, R/Python programming, and geospatial software experience (ArcMap/QGIS) are highly desirable. Applicants should be physically fit and comfortable working in extreme conditions and traveling by small plane or helicopter.
Application window: review begins immediately; deadline is 2026-11-15. A formal university application will be required later, with a deadline of 2027-02-01.
Supervisors: Dr. Joe Northrup and Dr. Brent Patterson.
Funding details
Funding package of approximately $34,000 per year, combining a graduate teaching assistantship, internal fellowships, and a research assistantship. Shared housing is provided during the first 2–3 years while working full time in the field. Tuition fees are not waived; scholarship awards may be applied for separately and will not reduce the funding package.
What's required
M.Sc. degree in ecology, wildlife biology, or a related field is desired, though exceptional past experience may substitute for the M.Sc. Applicants must meet the minimum entrance requirements for the Environmental & Life Sciences graduate program at Trent University. Desired qualifications include a GPA above 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, a strong background in ecology, demonstrated analytical capabilities, and passion for wildlife research. Strong quantitative, writing, and oral communication skills are required. Preferred experience includes publishing in peer-reviewed journals, programming in R and Python, familiarity with geospatial software such as ArcMap and QGIS, significant field experience, physical fitness, comfort flying in small planes and helicopters, and ability to work in varied terrain and extreme conditions.
How to apply
Email a single attachment containing a cover letter, current CV, unofficial transcripts, scientific writing sample, and contact information for at least three references to [email protected]. The formal university application comes later after a successful candidate is selected.
More information can be found here
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