I am recruiting a graduate student (PhD or Master’s level) to join the Statistical Ecology and Forest Science Lab in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University in Fall 2025! I am seeking a student interested in statistical ecology or quantitative forest science, with a specific interest on developing and applying new quantitative methods to inform forest and/or wildlife management objectives. The specific research topics are flexible, but interests should fall within the current research themes in the lab. Check out our current research topics and recent publications to see if your interests align with the lab. Given the quantitative focus of our research, I am particularly interested in recruiting students with a strong quantitative, statistical, mathematical, and/or computational background, or a strong motivation to learn and apply these skills in graduate school.

The College of Natural Resources at NC State was recently ranked as the 10th best college in the US for studying natural resources and conservation. The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources offers a variety of Master’s and PhD degrees that can be tailored towards the specific interests of each student. I am interested in recruiting a student interested in pursuing either a M.S. or PhD in Forestry and Environmental Resources. NC State also has an incredibly strong group of quantiative researchers across the university interested in forestry, environmental, and ecological questions, which presents a plethora of opportunities to gain quantitative training in statistical ecology from faculty members with different expertise, backgrounds, and areas of application.

NC State is located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, a super exciting place to be as a young professional given the diversity of cultural activities to do throughout the city. From a research perspective, Raleigh is part of the Research Triangle, making it a very exciting place to be a graduate student. The city is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the US in a variety of different categories. Two of my favorites from that list in 2024 include being the No. 4 rental market in the country for recent college graduates and the 4th best city for work/life balance and mental health.

Position Details

• $28,000 annual stipend as well as the graduate student support plan that covers tuition and provides health insurance.
• MS or PhD in Forestry and Environmental Resources
• Teaching duties include serving as Teaching Assistant for one undergraduate course per year in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.
• 2 years of funding guaranteed for MS, 3 years of funding guaranteed for PhD (we will work together to secure funding for subsequent years of the PhD program).

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree in forestry, statistics, ecology, mathematics, biology, or a related disclipline.
2. Strong writing skills and experience in collaborative work.
3. Desire to do statistical and computational research.
4. Basic experience with programming and coding (particularly in R or C++).

Desired Qualifications

1. Masters degree in ecology, forestry, mathematics, statistics, or a related discipline (for PhD position only).
2. Substantial programming experience with R and/or C++.
3. Experience with statistics and statistical modeling, particularly (generalized) linear mixed models, hierarchical Bayesian models, spatial statistics, and/or small area estimation.
4. Desire to contribute to open-source software development and maintenance.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send an email with subject “Gradute student position Fall 2025” that includes a CV and 1 page cover letter to Jeff Doser (jwdoser@ncsu.edu). The cover letter should briefly describe who you are, describe your research interests, and why you want to pursue a degree in the Statistical Ecology and Forest Science Lab. Review of applications will begin September 30, 2024.