Visiting River Ecologist – Large River Fisheries & Lab Lead

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Urbana (IL)

On-site

USD 43,000 - 53,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition waivers

Job summary

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks a Visiting Scientific Specialist in Large River Ecology for the Illinois Natural History Survey's Prairie Research Institute. This 100% full-time position is based at the Illinois River Biological Station and involves field and laboratory research on fisheries and river ecology.

The role requires overseeing otolith preparation, data management, SOP development, training staff, and collaboration across agencies.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in biology, Aquatic Ecology, Statistics, or related field.
Lab lead experience including scheduling and training staff.
Experience creating SOPs for new laboratory procedures.
Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Leica microscopes/cameras.
Experience conducting large river fieldwork; ability to swim.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and implement lab and field studies on fisheries and river ecology.
Develop methodologies, SOPs, and workflows for data collection and analysis.
Oversee otolith preparation, including mounting, sectioning, and imaging.
Coordinate collection, processing, analysis, and interpretation of biological samples.
Maintain databases and manage research data and materials.
Train and mentor technicians; supervise hourly staff and assign tasks.
Prepare manuscripts and reports; present findings at meetings.