Research Associate-Fixed Term

Position Summary

The Weiming Lab in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife seeks a postdoctoral research associate to join our research efforts on pheromone communication in sea lamprey.

The successful applicant will work as part of an interdisciplinary group and lead a project focused on the relative roles of three male pheromone components in female mating behavior. The project builds on nearly 30 years of research on communication via sex pheromones in sea lamprey, a destructive invasive species in the Great Lakes. The selected applicant will lead 1) summer field work out of the US Geological Survey’s Hammond Bay Biological Station (HBBS) in Millersburg, MI and 2) chemical analysis of pheromone samples, behavioral data analysis, and manuscript/report writing out of Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing MI. The selected applicant may also have opportunities to leverage our newly renovated laboratory at MSU designed for rearing and genetically modifying sea lamprey and zebrafish to, for example, study the molecular basis of pheromone perception or the effects of pheromones on life history traits (e.g., sex ratio). 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -zoology, fisheries, evolutionary biology, or a related area

Minimum Requirements

PhD in zoology, fisheries, evolutionary biology, or a related area.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience or interest in field work
• expertise or interest in behavioral ecology, fish biology, invasive species, sensory ecology, or related topics
• Interest/experience in collaborating researchers from diverse disciplines and academic backgrounds
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Interest/experience working in a diverse environment and in programs designed to promote inclusion.

Required Application Materials

• CV
• A cover letter describing previous research experience and interest/qualifications in the position
• List of three references, including contact information

Special Instructions

For more information, please contact Dr. Tyler Bucinger (buching6@msu.edu) or Dr. Weiming Li (liweim@msu.edu) and/or visit https://www.lilabmsu.com/.

Review of Applications Begins On

12/02/2024

Summary of Health Risks

Website

https://www.lilabmsu.com/

Department Statement

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is a vibrant community of scholars comprising 40 core faculty (tenure stream and fixed-term faculty, and academic specialists), 100 graduate and 240 undergraduate students, 30 research associates, and 6 core staff. Our Mission is to build local, national, and international capacities to conserve ecosystems that support fish, wildlife, and society through integrated programs in research, education and engagement. We are committed to the integrative nature of natural resources conservation and management, with our expertise ranging from disciplinary areas with a long-standing history in the domain of fisheries and wildlife to those emerging more recently.

Location: The position will be based at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, USA. Michigan State University (MSU) is one of the top research universities in the world and home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs. MSU is a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, and scientists that provide regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research and excellence in teaching. In addition, consistent with its Land Grant origins, the MSU community pursues international engagement and provides strong extension programs that partner with diverse stakeholders to provide much needed research in the areas of food, energy, water and the environment. MSU enjoys a park‐like campus with outlying research facilities and natural areas. The campus is located in the city of East Lansing, adjacent to the capital city of Lansing. The Lansing metropolitan area has a diverse population of 500,000. Local communities have excellent school systems and place a high value on education. The University is proactive about its obligations under the ADA, and provides individual accessibility plans to students and employees with disabilities. Michigan State University is also proactive in exploring opportunities for employment for dual career families, both inside and outside the University, and respects all family forms. Information about MSU’s dual career support and other types of support for balancing work and personal lives at MSU can be found at http://worklife.msu.edu/

Commitment to Creating a Sense of Belonging:

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University is committed to achieving excellence by creating and sustaining an accessible and inclusive culture that values cultural and academic diversity. We are an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion.  Candidates are invited to view Fisheries and Wildlife community norms at  FW-Community_NormsDec2018_v2.pdf (msu.edu). 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Michigan State University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and, in the context of employment, affirmative action. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height, weight, veteran status, age or familial status.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.