Virginia Tech, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation · Virginia · assistantship · posted 30 days ago
The Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech invites applications for a fully funded PhD assistantship beginning January 2027. We seek a highly motivated and quantitatively oriented student to join a USDA-supported research project focused on the ecology, population dynamics, and management of invasive Blue Catfish in the Chesapeake Bay. Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia Department: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Advisor: Yan Jiao Funding: $36,500 annual stipend, full tuition support, and health insurance Start Date: January 2027 Project Overview The successful applicant will join a multidisciplinary team investigating the population ecology and ecosystem impacts of invasive Blue Catfish in the Chesapeake Bay. This five-year USDA-funded project aims to improve understanding of the species' ecological role and provide science-based recommendations for sustainable fisheries management. The PhD student will develop and apply quantitative approaches to address questions related to population dynamics, ecological interactions, and harvest management. Research activities will include analyzing large ecological datasets, developing statistical and population models, evaluating ecosystem impacts, and identifying effective management and commercial harvest strategies. This position offers outstanding opportunities for advanced training in fisheries science, quantitative ecology, ecological modeling, statistical inference, and applied conservation. The student will work closely with university researchers, fisheries managers, and stakeholders while contributing to research with direct management relevance. This project builds upon previous research on invasive Blue Catfish in Virginia tidal rivers that resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications, extensive datasets, and close partnerships with state and federal fisheries agencies. The new project expands this work to address population and ecosystem-level questions across the Chesapeake Bay, providing a unique opportunity for the student to contribute to both fundamental and applied fisheries science. Minimum Qualifications * M.S. degree in fisheries science, ecology, biology, statistics, computer science, quantitative ecology, or a related field * Strong quantitative and analytical skills * Ability to work both independently and collaboratively * Strong written and oral communication skills Preferred Qualifications * Experience with R, Python, MATLAB, or other quantitative programming languages * Background in fisheries science, population dynamics, ecological modeling, or natural resource management * Experience with statistical modeling, including frequentist and/or Bayesian methods * Demonstrated scientific writing ability through publications, reports, theses, or other writing samples Application Materials Please submit the following as a single PDF file: 1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2. Unofficial transcripts 3. Cover letter describing research interests, relevant experience, and career goals 4. Representative publication(s) or writing sample(s) 5. Contact information for three professional references Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Contact Yan Jiao, Ph.D. Professor of Fisheries Population Dynamics Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech Email: yjiao@vt.edu Phone: (540) 231-5749
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