Using plants to control buckthorn
Duties: The Department of Forest Resources is hiring two UMN student interns to take key roles in a suite of ongoing field experiments in the Department of Forest Resources funded through the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center. The experiments, established in spring 2017 following large-scale buckthorn removals, ask how to use native plant species to suppress buckthorn re-invasion and improve restoration of buckthorn-invaded woodlands and forests. They also examine the roles of herbivory, fire, and herbicides in this process. Primary duties will be to re-locate experimental units; plant and monitor the growth of buckthorn; weed small plots; measure light availability multiple times through the season; measure plant species composition; maintain deer fences; remove fallen trees; and generally assist with experimental needs. The two interns will work as a team, supervised by two post-doctoral researchers.
Optional independent research opportunities: The post-docs are willing to mentor interns in independent research projects utilizing the existing experimental design, if the interns choose. Interns are also welcome to participate in lab meetings of the Forest Ecology research group on the St. Paul campus. Applicants interested in pursuing independent research should submit applications as soon as possible to allow the possibility of preparing a proposal for UROP funding which is due in February.
Dates: mid May – August 31, 2019, with some flexibility. Positions could start as early as April, depending on weather and intern availability. Similarly, extension through October may be possible depending on intern availability, because the department will also recruit a team of two for September-October to re-survey buckthorn abundance in permanent transects and harvest buckthorn seedlings.
Pay Range: $12.00 - $15.00 per hour, depending on experience and duties
Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week
Required qualifications:
Preferred qualifications:
Contact: Questions and applications should be directed to Mike Schuster and Peter Wragg (Dept. of Forest Resources) via email (coveritup@umn.edu). To apply, please submit a cover letter and CV/Resume. In your cover letter, answer the following questions: 1) What are your desired start and end dates for summer? 2) What, if any, planned absences do you have over the summer? 3) Are you available for field work in the Spring and/or Fall semesters? If so, when? Review of applications will start February 1, 2019 and continue until the positions are filled.