PhD Research Assistant: Wetlands in Agricultural Lands (GIS)

Conservation Opportunity; Brookings (SD); Hybrid; USD 26,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full tuition remission

Travel support

Professional development support

Job summary

South Dakota State University, in Brookings, SD, invites applications for a Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship focused on small wetlands in agricultural landscapes. The position collaborates with USGS and USFWS and supports research yielding conservation insights.

The stipend is $26,000–$29,000 per year with full tuition remission, plus travel and professional development support. Applications deadline: Nov 30, 2026; review starts immediately and continues until filled.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in wildlife, wetland ecology, natural resources, geospatial or environmental science.
• Exceptional bachelor’s degree candidates with strong quantitative skills may be considered.
• Preferred: wetland, waterfowl or landscape ecology; GIS and remote sensing; statistical modeling; and R or similar programming.

Responsibilities

• Investigate the ecological value of small wetlands in agricultural landscapes.
• The research combines long-term waterfowl data, remote sensing, field validation, and spatial and statistical modeling to support wetland conservation and management decisions.

Skills

Quantitative skills

Landscape ecology

Waterfowl ecology

R programming

Education

Master’s degree in wildlife, wetlands or environmental sciences

Bachelor’s degree with strong quantitative skills

Tools

GIS

Remotes sensing

Job description

South Dakota State University, in Brookings, SD, invites applications for a Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship focused on small wetlands in agricultural landscapes. The position collaborates with USGS and USFWS and supports research yielding conservation insights.

The stipend is $26,000–$29,000 per year with full tuition remission, plus travel and professional development support. Applications deadline: Nov 30, 2026; review starts immediately and continues until filled.