Campus/Location:
Penn State DuBois
Date Announced:
04/08/2019
Date Closing:
open until filled
Job Number:
86924
Work Unit:
Penn State DuBois
Department:
Academic Advising
DESCRIPTION
We are seeking Field Assistants to assist with research on mosquito diversity and abundance in forested habitats in PA. The project will run from June 1 through mid-September of 2019, requiring a minimum of 2-3 days/week of field work. The project is part of a large landscape study comparing populations of West Nile Virus (WNV) vector mosquitos across forest habitats to develop WNV risk models for ruffed grouse and other woodland birds. The responsibilities of research assistants include maintaining two study areas, each containing a mosquito trap array of 8 traps. Responsibilities include operation of gravid traps; mixing bait water; setting up, operating, cleaning and tearing down trap equipment each week; transferring captured mosquitoes to collection vials; freezing and shipping samples to DEP; maintaining detailed collection records and field notes; conducting online data entry each week. The position will occupy roughly 2-3 days per week (Day 1 – set up trap arrays; Day 2 - AM/PM collecting, processing and freezing samples, tearing down and cleaning equipment; Day 3 – shipping samples and data entry). Students may also record physical and aquatic characteristics of woodland pools and mosquito larvae samples. Charging batteries and maintaining bait water will be other responsibilities between trap weeks. The field work involves long days spent outdoors. Applicants must be comfortable traversing uneven and occasionally steep terrain and be familiar with the use of handheld GPS units. Applicants must be confident in working independently in the field. Previous field experience is preferable, but not required.
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