University of Florida
1 week ago
PhD in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation on feral swine surveillance, mosquito xenosurveillance, and quantitative ecology University of Florida in United States
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Ecology
Funding
USDA AFRI-funded graduate assistantship with four years of funding. Salary listed as $28,000 to $34,000 per year. The position is a PhD graduate assistantship and begins in May 2027.
Deadline
Nov 15, 2026
Country
United States
University
University of Florida

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About this position
The Wisely Lab in the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation is recruiting a PhD student for a multidisciplinary project on feral swine surveillance, African swine fever virus (ASFV), mosquito bloodmeal analysis, and quantitative wildlife ecology.
The project uses mosquito bloodmeals as biological samples of free-ranging feral swine, an approach described as exogenous xenosurveillance. The student will help evaluate whether blood-fed mosquitoes can be used to detect feral swine, identify individual animals genetically, estimate population abundance, and support pathogen surveillance.
Research responsibilities include coordinating camera trap and mosquito capture deployments across wet and dry seasons, supervising undergraduate researchers, processing mosquito bloodmeals and genetic data, developing genetic mark-recapture models, and/or developing occupancy/detection models to compare mosquito-based surveillance with conventional camera trapping.
The student will be co-advised by Dr. Samantha Wisely and Dr. Nathan Burkett-Cadena, and will collaborate with Dr. Tim Smyser (USDA APHIS Wildlife Services) and Dr. Amy Vittor on related genomic and serological work. The broader team also includes a science communication/agricultural education PhD student led by Dr. Grady Roberts, with this position contributing scientific content to educational products.
Eligibility highlights: bachelor’s or master’s degree in wildlife ecology, ecology, entomology, biology, quantitative ecology, disease ecology, or a related field; prior ecological field research; interest in wildlife population ecology, wildlife disease, quantitative ecology, or wildlife surveillance; willingness to conduct demanding fieldwork in Florida; and comfort with R-based statistical analysis. Experience with camera trapping, mosquito sampling, molecular ecology/genetics, occupancy modeling, capture-recapture, or field crew supervision is desirable.
Funding: USDA AFRI-funded graduate assistantship with four years of funding. Salary is listed at $28,000–$34,000 per year.
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, with substantial fieldwork throughout Florida.
Application deadline: November 15, 2026. Start date is expected in May 2027.
Funding details
USDA AFRI-funded graduate assistantship with four years of funding. Salary listed as $28,000 to $34,000 per year. The position is a PhD graduate assistantship and begins in May 2027.
What's required
Applicants should have a bachelor's or master's degree in wildlife ecology, ecology, entomology, biology, quantitative ecology, disease ecology, or a related field. Previous ecological field research experience is required, along with demonstrated interest in wildlife population ecology, wildlife disease, quantitative ecology, or wildlife surveillance. Experience with or strong interest in learning population modeling and statistical analysis in R is expected. Candidates must be willing to conduct extended fieldwork in hot, humid, physically demanding Florida conditions and should have strong organizational, written communication, teamwork, and independent working skills. Experience with camera trapping, mosquito or arthropod sampling, molecular ecology/genetics, occupancy modeling, capture-recapture analysis, or supervising field crews is desirable.
How to apply
Send a CV and cover letter to Samantha Wisely at [email protected] by November 15, 2026. Use the preferred contact email [email protected] if needed.
More information can be found here
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