GRADUATE OPPORTUNITY
Position: M.S. Graduate Student - Avian Habitat Use & Acoustic Monitoring
Entity: Virginia Tech, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation & USGS Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Location: Virginia, USA
Salary: $33,600 per year + full tuition waiver (~$16,000/yr) + subsidized health insurance
Deadline: January 30, 2026 (5:00 PM EST)
Description:
“Virginia Tech is seeking a motivated M.S. student to join the Hunter Lab beginning in spring or summer 2026 (April-August start). The student will investigate how habitat management practices, such as prescribed fire and timber management, influence avian habitat use in savanna and forest ecosystems in Virginia. The project will focus particularly on Northern Bobwhite and Ruffed Grouse. The student will have flexibility to develop their own research questions while maintaining breeding-season monitoring using autonomous recording units (ARUs). Research is funded by the Matthews Foundation and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. The lab values diversity and inclusion, and applicants from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in a natural resources-related field (e.g., wildlife, fisheries, forestry, geography, environmental science)
- Experience with ARUs or bioacoustics
- GIS experience
- Statistical analysis experience
- Demonstrated research experience (data collection, writing)
- Bird survey and identification experience
How to Apply: Submit the following as one combined PDF: Cover letter (background and research interests), CV, Unofficial transcripts, & Names and contact information for three references. Email materials to: Elizabeth Hunter (ehunter1@vt.edu). Applicants selected will also need to apply to the Virginia Tech Graduate School prior to acceptance.
For More Information: MS Program: https://fishwild.vt.edu/Graduate.html & Hunter Lab: https://hunterlab.weebly.com. Contact: Elizabeth Hunter ehunter1@vt.edu (preferred).”