John Benson

PhD research assistantship in Spatial Ecology and Mortality of White-Tailed Deer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (School of Natural Resources). This opening is for a motivated ecologist interested in a PhD in Applied Ecology and graduate research assistantship focused on wildlife ecology , spatial ecology , ungulate ecology , and movement ecology . The project will study white-tailed deer across multiple sites in the eastern half of Nebraska, including GPS collar deployment, seasonal home range and movement analyses, survival estimation, cause-specific mortality, resource selection, and movement decisions. The student will work closely with the PI and agency partners, with room to develop additional basic and applied research questions. The lab environment includes research on ungulates and top predators, offering opportunities for fieldwork, publications, and broader collaborative projects across Nebraska, North America, and beyond. Funding: salary starts at $30,000/year, with a full tuition waiver and health benefits. Eligibility highlights: M.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology or a related field; academic excellence; peer-reviewed publishing experience; strong field skills; quantitative and coding skills (R, Google Earth Engine, Bayesian platforms); strong writing; ability to conduct ungulate fieldwork; and professional collaboration with agency partners and private landowners. How to apply: Email a single PDF to John Benson at [email protected] including a cover letter, CV, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores if available, reference contacts, and PDFs of any first-author peer-reviewed articles. Deadline: 2026-09-01.