The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Marine Science is looking to solve the problem of conducting field and experimental studies associated with seagrass, marsh, and algal systems, and needs a Research Engineering/ Scientist Assistant to assist with these duties.
Requirements
- Experience with gas analysis (methane, oxygen) and in situ photosynthesis
- Experience with DNA extraction from environmental samples
- Experience with preparing samples for sequencing, including PCR amplification and reaction cleanup.
- Knowledge of DNA sequence analysis using specialized software e.g., Geneious
- Strong organizational and computer skills (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
- General knowledge of local habitats, particularly coastal waters, and wetlands along with associated flora and ecosystem processes.
- Basic hiking and swimming ability.
Responsibilities
- Field sampling of coastal waters from shore, by small boat, and on oceanographic cruises. Includes emergent and submergent vegetation along the entire Texas coast and other wetland sites as assigned via boat, hiking, swimming, and wading through mud and water in wetland habitats.
- Assist with in situ photosynthetic incubations.
- Process plant and sediment cores for organic matter, moisture content, dissolved pore water components, nutrients, chlorophyll, TSS, CHN and isotopic analysis, sediment grain size, and algal epiphyte enumeration and identification.
- Computer data entry, data QA/QC, some basic and preliminary data analysis.
- Assist with additional research related duties related to lab (sieving and sorting of biological material), field (instrumentation deployment), and K12 outreach activities.
- Laboratory work includes DNA extractions, PCR, and preparation of samples for sequencing.
- Assist with instrument maintenance.
Other
- Bachelor's degree in marine, biological, or environmental sciences, or a closely related field.
- Must have a class 'C' operator's driver's license
- Must provide a current three-year driving record from the current state of residence
- Must be authorized to work in the United States
- Must be able to work in all weather conditions and extreme temperatures.
