GRADUATE OPPORTUNITY
Position: PhD Graduate Research Assistantship - Snail Kites
Entity: University of Florida Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
Location: Gainesville, Florida, USA
Salary: Commensurate / Negotiable (funded for 4 years, full-time ≥40 hrs/week)
Deadline: January 7, 2026 (Review of applications begins immediately)
Description:
“The University of Florida is recruiting a highly motivated PhD student to work on one of the longest-running demographic monitoring programs for an endangered raptor, the Everglade Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus). The project is supported by over 25 years of demographic and movement data across the species’ breeding range and directly informs state and federal conservation and restoration decisions. The selected student will develop independent research questions while contributing to ongoing fieldwork, data management, analysis, and reporting that sustains this critical long-term dataset.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree required (M.S. preferred but not required)
- At least 2 years of relevant experience
- Strong interest in wildlife ecology and conservation
Preferred Qualifications (not required):
- M.S. in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Statistics, or related field
- Strong quantitative skills; proficiency in R and/or Python
- Scientific publications
- Experience with population modeling, mark-recapture, spatial or behavioral ecology
- Field experience in remote wetland environments
- Excellent organizational, communication, and teamwork skills
How to Apply: Email the following materials to ellen.robertson@ufl.edu (Subject line: Snail Kite PhD Application): One-page cover letter (single-spaced), CV (education, research experience, quantitative skills, publications, awards), & Contact information for three references
For more information: Contact Ellen Robertson at ellen.robertson@ufl.edu.”