Field Scientist – Road Ecology & Wetland Research

Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Carbondale (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Roadside Ecology Center (REC) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale invites applications for eight full-time Interdisciplinary Scientists to conduct field-based ecological research in support of road ecology projects with IDOT. Positions are assigned to Biological or Wetland Teams and require multi-taxa competency, GIS proficiency, and collaboration across disciplines.

Minimum qualifications include a Master’s degree in ecology or related field, 3+ years of field surveys, and a track

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in ecology, wildlife biology, botany, environmental science, natural resource management, or closely related field.
• 2–3 years of professional ecological field survey experience acceptable (academic, consulting, or agency).
• Evidence of peer‑reviewed publications in applied ecology or conservation biology.
• Ability to identify species across at least two major taxonomic groups.
• Proficiency with GIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS) including data creation, analysis, and mapping.
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record; able to carry equipment up to 40 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Conduct field surveys for threatened and endangered species across multiple taxa; obtain state and federal permits as needed.
• Complete environmental compliance documentation for IDOT projects and prepare technical reports.
• Biological Team: conduct wildlife surveys and assess mitigation effectiveness; Wetland Team: perform wetland delineations and assess site performance.
• Collect, manage, and quality-check field data using mobile devices and GPS; respond to time-sensitive field requests.
• Develop applied research projects and contribute findings to publications, reports, and conferences.
• Create and analyze spatial datasets using ArcGIS or QGIS; produce maps and summaries for reports and publications.
• Collaborate across teams and mentor undergraduate/graduate students.

Skills

Field surveys

Species identification (multi-taxa)

GIS proficiency

Collaborative research

Data management

Field data collection

Education

Master’s degree in ecology or closely related field

Three years ecological field survey experience

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

GPS / mobile data collection

R / Python (basics)

Job description

The Roadside Ecology Center (REC) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale invites applications for eight full-time Interdisciplinary Scientists to conduct field-based ecological research in support of road ecology projects with IDOT. Positions are assigned to Biological or Wetland Teams and require multi-taxa competency, GIS proficiency, and collaboration across disciplines.

Minimum qualifications include a Master’s degree in ecology or related field, 3+ years of field surveys, and a track