M.S. Assistantships in Forest Nursery Seedling Chain-of-Custody

M.S. Assistantships in Forest Nursery Seedling Chain-of-Custody University of Idaho - Moscow, Idaho, USA

Position Title:

M.S. Assistantships in Forest Nursery Seedling Chain-of-Custody

Position Type:
Research Assistant

Application Review Begins:
Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Institution:
University of Idaho

Department/Division:
Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research

Field (e.g., systematics):
Seedling Physiology, Forestry, Botany

City:
Moscow, Idaho, USA

General Information:
Two M.S. assistantship positions are available at the University of Idaho to study how seedling handling practices from the time of propagation through packing through transport and planting affects seedling quality and performance of seedling once planted in the field. The positions will start in January 2027. Students will join the Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research (CFNSR) and be supervised by Dr.

Andrew Nelson. Initial funding is available for 2 years as research assistantships.
The students will work on projects examining how seedling handling practices influence successful reforestation. There is anecdotal evidence that improper handling of seedlings such as excessive moisture stress, root damage during packing, improper storage temperatures, improper transportation conditions, and improper treatment on planting sites ahead of planting can negatively affect initial seedling survival and growth once planted. Improper management of seedlings across this chain-of-custody can compound ill effects, but it is still unclear which steps of the handling process most influence out planting success or how different intensities of mishandling affect success.

The students working on this project will work with the major professor and USDA Forest Service collaborators to design rigorous manipulative research trials where seedlings are mishandled at different stages of the handling process and evaluate the effects on seedling establishment at forest field sites and physiological responses to manipulative disturbances.
The students will have the opportunity to present their research at scientific conferences and management workshops in the western United States.
The students are expected to publish their results in peer-reviewed journals.
The students will have access to laboratories, field sites, and greenhouses at the University of Idaho and across North-Central Idaho.
The lab is fully outfitted with equipment to measure plant physiology and morphology.

• The assistantships include a competitive stipend, waiver of out-of-state tuition, full coverage of in-state tuition and student health insurance.
• Additional funds are available for research supplies and travel.

Qualifications/Requirements:

Required qualifications include a B.S. degree in forestry, plant ecophysiology, botany, or closely related discipline. The successful candidates will demonstrate an ability to work both independently and as a team member, be comfortable traveling and working in the greenhouse, lab, and field, and have an interest in working in forest nurseries in the future. The student must be able to pass a criminal background check.

Responsibilities:
Conduct literature reviews, design experiments, conduct research, prepare manuscripts for publication, present research at conferences