Michigan State University
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PhD Research Position in Deer Population Dynamics and Chronic Wasting Disease Management Michigan State University in United States
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Epidemiology
Funding
Funded doctoral research assistantship for the four-year project period (January 2027 through September 2030). Includes full tuition remission, health benefits, and a bi-weekly stipend; minimum annual stipend is $34,789 with annual 3% raises and some flexibility based on experience and degrees. One semester of TA is expected, and funding may extend via TAships or fellowships if academic progress is positive.
Deadline
Oct 30, 2026
Country
United States
University
Michigan State University

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About this position
PhD Research Position in deer population dynamics, wildlife disease ecology, and chronic wasting disease (CWD) management at Michigan State University.
The Christensen Lab in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is recruiting a doctoral student to join a four-year project evaluating community-based deer management interventions in Michigan. The research focuses on how management actions affect hunter behavior, deer harvest, deer density, population demographics, fawn recruitment, and CWD prevalence across treatment and control townships in the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
The selected student will work with Dr. Sonja Christensen and collaborators including Dr. Emily Pomeranz, Dr. Dwayne Etter, and Dr. Brent Rudolph, alongside the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The project combines field ecology, epidemiology, quantitative modeling, and stakeholder engagement with landowners, hunters, and wildlife agencies.
Research themes: wildlife biology, ecology, epidemiology, statistics, distance sampling, deer harvest estimation, disease prevalence, and conservation management.
Funding: fully funded doctoral research assistantship with full tuition remission, health benefits, and a bi-weekly stipend. Minimum annual stipend is $34,789 with annual 3% raises; support runs from January 2027 through September 2030, with one semester of TA expected and possible TA/fellowship support afterward depending on progress.
Eligibility highlights: applicants should hold a master’s degree in a relevant field such as wildlife biology, epidemiology, ecology, statistics, or a related area. Preferred experience includes wildlife population estimation, distance sampling, statistical software (R, SAS, Python), strong quantitative skills, and interest in community engagement and wildlife conservation. GRE is preferred but not required; TOEFL is requested for non-native English speakers only.
How to apply: email Dr. Sonja Christensen at [email protected] with a single merged PDF. Use the subject line “PhD Application: Wildlife Estimation and Health.” Include a cover letter, CV/resume, unofficial transcripts, three references, and a representative first-authored publication if available. Applications are reviewed immediately, and the final deadline is October 30, 2026.
Funding details
Funded doctoral research assistantship for the four-year project period (January 2027 through September 2030). Includes full tuition remission, health benefits, and a bi-weekly stipend; minimum annual stipend is $34,789 with annual 3% raises and some flexibility based on experience and degrees. One semester of TA is expected, and funding may extend via TAships or fellowships if academic progress is positive.
What's required
Applicants must have a master’s degree in a relevant field such as wildlife biology, epidemiology, ecology, statistics, or a related discipline. Preferred qualifications include experience with wildlife population estimation methods such as distance sampling, strong quantitative and analytical skills, experience with statistical software such as R, SAS, or Python, excellent written and oral communication, ability to work independently and collaboratively, interest in stakeholder/community engagement, and a passion for wildlife conservation and research. Experience working with state wildlife agencies and hunting populations is preferred. TOEFL scores are requested for non-native English speakers only; GRE scores are preferred but not required.
How to apply
Email a single merged PDF application to Dr. Sonja Christensen at [email protected] with the subject line “PhD Application: Wildlife Estimation and Health.” Include a cover letter, CV/resume, unofficial transcripts, contact information for three references, and one representative first-authored publication if available.
More information can be found here
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