Graduate Research Assistant; Playa Restoration Assessment

Job in Alpine, Brewster County, Texas, 79832, USA

Listing for: Texas Health Institute

Full Time position
Listed on 2026-07-14

Job specializations:

Science
Environmental Science, Ecology, Biology, Agriculture / Farming
Outdoor/Nature/Animal Care
Environmental Science, Biology, Agriculture / Farming

Salary/Wage Range or Industry Benchmark: 18000 USD Yearly USD 18000.00 YEAR

Position: Graduate Research Assistant (Playa Restoration Assessment)

Funded MS Assistantship – Assessment of the avian, insect, and vegetative community response to restoration of Texas Playa Lakes

Borderlands Research Institute – Sul Ross State University

Location:

Alpine, Texas

Start Date:

Fall Semester 2026 or Spring Semester 2027

Final date to receive applications:
Open until a candidate has been identified

Stipend included: $18,000 plus fringe annually

Objectives

Quantify vegetation structure and composition across restoration sites and associated control sites in the Texas High Plains ecoregions to evaluate how restoration techniques and time since treatment influence native plant community recovery.

Measure insect abundance, biomass, and diversity to assess how restoration-driven changes in native vegetation affect prey availability for bird species as well as the pollinator community (i.e., bees, butterflies, flies, wasps, etc.).

Evaluate bird community use of playa sites using ARUs and avian point-count surveys to relate avian activity and community composition to wetland extent, vegetation, and insect metrics.

Qualifications

B.S. in Wildlife Science, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Ecology, or related field
Demonstrated interest in wetland ecology, grassland and wetland dependent birds, plant ecology, entomology, or restoration ecology
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently and collaboratively as a team member and with partners (i.e., Texas Parks and Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, and others)

For questions, contact Dr. Dan Collins lins.

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