Master's Assistantship — North Carolina State University
Description: Master’s opportunity to lead field investigation into effects of introduced Alabama Bass on native black basses in North Carolina. Introduced Alabama Bass have led to declines of native black basses in many southeastern reservoirs through hybridization and competition. The hired candidate will evaluate capture efficiency of Alabama Bass in reservoirs and explore comparative movement ecology of co-occurring black basses. The hired candidate will work directly with Dr. Corey Dunn (U.S. Geological Survey, North Carolina State University) and management biologists while learning in-demand skills transferable to broader applications in natural resources such as aquatic conservation, fisheries management, data analysis, and acoustic/radio telemetry.
Qualifications: Completed bachelor’s degree in biology, natural resources, or closely related field before start date. Candidates should have interests in fisheries management and conservation, fieldwork, R programming, and science communication. Existing boating experience is not necessary, but candidates must be willing to learn how to operate boats safely.
Salary & benefits: Fully funded two-year Graduate Research Assistantship >$26,000 per year + health insurance, tuition waiver, computer, support for professional travel (professional development, conference attendance), federal training in safety and motorboat operations.
Start date: Candidate must be able to start as a research technician in early fall 2025 before eventually enrolling as a master’s student in January 2026.
Apply: Please email Dr. Corey Dunn (corey_dunn@ncsu.edu) with the subject line “black bass application.” Applicants should submit in a single, merged PDF: (1) brief cover letter describing experiential background, career goals, and project interest; (2) resume/cv with undergraduate GPA; (3) email addresses and phone numbers for three professional references; (4) updated official/unofficial transcripts, (5) optional (but encouraged) small writing example from undergrad research or coursework. Please apply early and by July 20, 2025 at the latest. Applications will start being reviewed July 1. Email inquiries about this position are welcome.
Helpful links:
Riverine Fishes Lab: https://bit.ly/riverine_fishes
Department of Applied Ecology at NC State: https://cals.ncsu.edu/applied-ecology/