Summary: We seek a colleague (postdoc or PhD student) to join our research efforts on pheromone communication in sea lamprey. The successful applicant will work as part of an interdisciplinary group and lead a project focused on the relative roles of multiple male pheromone components in female mating behavior. The project builds on nearly 30 years of research on communication via sex pheromones in sea lamprey, a destructive invasive species in the Great Lakes. The selected applicant will lead 1) summer field work out of the US Geological Survey’s Hammond Bay Biological Station (HBBS) in Millersburg, MI and 2) chemical analysis of pheromone samples, behavioral data analysis, and manuscript/report writing out of Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing MI. The position may also bring opportunities to leverage our newly renovated laboratory at MSU designed for rearing and genetically modifying sea lamprey and zebrafish to, for example, study the molecular basis of pheromone perception or the effects of pheromones on life history traits (e.g., sex ratio).
Qualified candidates should have an educational background in zoology, fisheries, evolutionary biology, or a related area; experience or interest in field work; expertise or interest in animal behavior, fish biology, invasive species, sensory ecology, or related topics and; experience or interest in collaborating with researchers from diverse disciplines and academic backgrounds.
Applications are welcomed from candidates either 1) with a PhD seeking a postdoc or 2) with a MSc (or BSc and substantial experience) seeking a PhD. Successful postdoc applicants will be offered MSU’s generous benefits package and a salary of ~$60k/year. Successful applicants seeking a PhD graduate assistantship will be offered a full tuition waiver, health insurance, and a stipend of ~30k/ year. Funding is secured for 3 years starting January 2025. Start date can be flexible but before May 2025 is preferred.
For more information, please contact Tyler Buchinger (buching6@msu.edu) or Weiming Li (liweim@msu.edu) and/or visit https://www.lilabmsu.com/. Review of applications will begin 2 December 2024 and continue until the position is filled.
Applicants seeking a postdoc position: Please apply at Careers@MSU website https://careers.msu.edu/en-us/job/521160/research-associatefixed-term
Applicants seeking a PhD assistantship: Please send a letter of interest including a brief summary of background and qualifications and a CV to Tyler Buchinger (buching6@msu.edu).
