Full-time seasonal field assistant (Entomology)

Click for a hub of Extension resources related to the current COVID-19 situation.

Agency

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Location

Madision, Wisconsin

Job Category

Temporary/Seasonal Positions

Salary

$15/hr

Start Date

06/01/2023

Last Date to Apply

02/06/2023

Website

https://gratton.entomology.wisc.edu/2023/01/09/were-hiring-for-summer-2023/

Description

The Gratton Lab is hiring full-time seasonal field assistant positions for the summer of 2023. Our lab studies the links between insects, landscapes, and their conservation in support of healthy ecosystems and human well being. Specific projects are listed below, though assistants may work across multiple projects. Positions begin around June 1, 2023 and continue for 10 to 16 weeks (depending on the position). To apply, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/e2KY9TPRkzXZzTzF7 Project Descriptions: Bumble bee habitat restoration and management Project Lead: Jade Kochanski ([email protected]) This project has two primary objectives: 1) Evaluate the efficacy of prairie restoration as a tool for conserving bumble bees and 2) Measure the effects of controlled burns on bumble bees in restored prairies. We will survey bumble bees and plants in restored prairie. Technicians will gain experience with a range of non-lethal methods to measure bumble bee population dynamics and genetics, nesting and forage habitat quality. Potential to continue lab work and independent research during the academic year. Impacts of microclimate and landscape structure on pollinators Project Lead: Jeremy Hemberger ([email protected]) This project will explore interactions between microclimates – small scale changes in temperature and humidity – and landscape structure – the composition and configuration of habitat features – in an agricultural context. We’ll work with remote cameras that capture insect visitation to flowers in real-time to quantify changes in insect behavior and occurrence. Field technicians will gain experience working with novel insect monitoring systems, designing experiments and constructing experimental equipment, identifying insects, and quantifying insect behavior in standardized surveys. Bumble bee habitat management Project Lead: Genevieve Pugesek ([email protected]) Exploring the effects of controlled burns on bumble bee communities. We will visit natural areas across southern Wisconsin to survey bumble bee abundance and the availability of nesting and floral resources in burned and unburned oak savannas. Field technicians will gain experience handling insects, conducting transect surveys, and identifying bumble bees and flowering plants to species. Wild pollinators and cover crops Project Lead: Eliza Pessereau ([email protected]) Habitat loss due to agricultural expansion is one of the primary reasons for wild pollinator decline. However, flowering crops have the potential to provide pollen and nectar for wild pollinators (wild bees, flies, etc) while meeting farmer’s needs for crop production. In particular, flowering cover crops that bloom in early spring can provide pollinators with food at a time when resources are scarce on the landscape. In partnership with the USDA ARS Dairy Forage Research Center (DFRC), we are assessing wild pollinator activity and species richness in different mixes of flowering and non-flowering cover crops. In this project technicians will learn wild pollinator identification and survey cover crop plots at the DFRC research site in Sauk City and on farms across central and southern Wisconsin. Weed-insect interactions in agricultural landscapes Project Lead: Ben Iuliano ([email protected]) Industrial approaches to management of insects (i.e. pests) and non-crop plants (“weeds”) almost always occur independently, relying on agrochemicals to minimize the presence of any organisms besides the crop. Yet this approach ignores interactions, like weeds that support pollinators and insect predators of crop pests, whose activity can enhance rather than hinder agricultural production. Ecological manipulation of the weed community, in contrast with complete control, might provide better outcomes for sustainable farming. This project will 1) characterize weed-insect interaction networks on farms, and 2) test whether and how the surrounding landscape context shapes them. Honey bees landscape and pollen Project Lead: Hannah Gaines Day ([email protected]) The goal of this project is to understand how the landscape surrounding managed honey bee hives influences the quality of the pollen diet collected by honey bees. We will visit commercial apiaries across southern Wisconsin to assess hive health and deploy pollen traps. Technicians will also spend time in the lab processing samples and entering data. Experience with honey bees preferred but not required. Protective equipment will be provided. WiBee 2.0 Project Lead: Hannah Gaines Day ([email protected]) On some farms, wild bees alone are able to provide full pollination to crops without the use of managed honey bees. Whether this is the case depends on the location of the farm in the landscape. We developed a smartphone app called WiBee: The Wisconsin Wild Bee App to help farmers assess the level of pollinator activity on their farm. In this project, technicians will learn techniques in pollination biology to determine how pollinator activity relates to fruit set and yield in order to turn WiBee into a decision support tool for farmers. This work will take place on apple, cranberry, and pumpkin farms across central and southern Wisconsin. Dung beetles – Dairy heifer research, Marshfield ARS Summer Dairy Internship Project Lead: Claudio Gratton ([email protected]) and Nancy Esser ([email protected]) This project is located in Marshfield, WI at the Marshfield Ag Research Station. To be eligible for this internship, applicants must be enrolled at UW-Madison. This internship will consist of both research and dairy farm work experience. Students will gain hands-on field work experience with insects in pastures to understand how cattle grazing influences dung beetle fauna and how dung beetles influence dung decomposition. The intern will complete an independent research project, and will be assisted in analyzing the data from their project and making a final research poster. In addition to the independent research, the intern will assist with other insect-related experiments, including grazing-pollinator interactions. The student will work with the dairy heifer and lactating cow herd to gain experience with dairy farm and livestock production practices including milking, cleaning and feeding animals, calf care, animal movement, general herd health (assessment/ treatment), and grazing management. Research station staff will work with the student to determine specific learning interests such as artificial insemination, health treatments, grazing, etc. and provide training in those areas. The position is full time (~40 hours / week) and 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for 5 days / week. May occasionally need to work 4:30 am to 1:00 pm (AM shift) or 11:00 am to 7:30 pm (PM shift) during the week or weekends to meet the operational needs of the facility. Previous interns have stayed at short-term lease apartments available in Marshfield. We can assist with locating available housing in the area if needed. The intern needs to provide their own transportation to/from the work site.

Qualifications

No prior field experience necessary, however, applicants must: 1) Enjoy being outside, comfortable working in hot/humid conditions 2) Be able to stay focused on tedious or repetitive tasks and pay attention to detail Be able to work independently and with others 3) Have experience with or willingness to learn insect handling, including bees, and processing techniques 4) Have had coursework or interest in ecology, biology, entomology, or related fields 5) Have a valid US driver’s license and ability to obtain driver authorization from UW Risk Management (https://businessservices.wisc.edu/managing-risk/driver-authorization-and-insurance/driver-authorization/#become – see “Requirement Criteria”)

Contact Person

Genevieve Pugesek

Contact eMail

[email protected]

Bookmark the permalink .

Comments are closed.