Work Study Only: Undergraduate Ecology Research Assistant

OSU Oregon State University; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-study eligible

Job summary

OSU's Halliday Lab in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University seeks an undergraduate Ecology Research Assistant to support an ecology literature synthesis and meta-analysis. The role is part-time, up to 24 hours per week, based in Cordley Hall, Corvallis, and open to work-study students.

Responsibilities include extracting covariates from papers, maintaining spreadsheets, meeting with the supervisor, and assisting with figures and summary documents for reports or

Qualifications

• Current undergrad student in Ecology, Biology, Botany, or a related field.
• Strong reading comprehension of scientific literature.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Extract and research covariates from selected papers (70%).
• Maintain structured spreadsheets of reviewed studies (15%).
• Participate in periodic meetings with supervisor to discuss progress and challenges (10%).
• Support preparation of figures, tables, or summary documents for reports or manuscripts (5%).

Skills

Strong reading comprehension

Attention to detail

Time management

Education

Current undergraduate student in Ecology/Biology/Botany or related field

Tools

Excel

Job description

Department: Botany and Plant Pathology

Job Description

This recruitment will be used to fill one Undergraduate Ecology Research Assistant part‑time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) approx. 12 hours for the Dept of Botany and Plant Pathology (BPP) at Oregon State University (OSU). The Halliday Lab in the Botany and Plant Pathology department at Oregon State University is seeking an undergraduate research assistant to support an ecology literature synthesis and meta-analysis. The assistant will help organize and summarize scientific literature related to priority effects in host‑associated systems. This project examines how the order in which organisms colonize a host can influence which species successfully establish and how host‑associated communities develop. Using published ecological studies, we are conducting a systematic review and meta‑analysis to understand how these “priority effects” shape interactions among microbes, parasites, and other host‑associated organisms. The goal is to synthesize existing evidence to identify general patterns across different host‑symbiont systems and ecological contexts.

Position Duties

• Extract and research covariates from selected papers (70%)
• Maintain structured spreadsheets of reviewed studies (15%)
• Participate in periodic meetings with supervisor to discuss progress and challenges (10%)
• Support preparation of figures, tables, or summary documents for reports or manuscripts (5%)

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard
• High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home-schooling program
• Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term
• Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term*
• Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term
• Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term* *International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered “full‑time” by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career‑readiness skills in the primary areas below:

• Critical Thinking
• Teamwork
• Technology
• Professionalism

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate student in Ecology, Biology, Botany, or a related field
• Strong reading comprehension of scientific literature
• Attention to detail and ability to follow research protocols
• Excellent organizational and time‑management skills
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

• Basic data management or spreadsheet skills (Excel, Google Sheets, or R)
• Coursework in ecology, botany/mycology, parasitology, or plant pathology
• Familiarity with scientific literature databases

Working Conditions/Schedule

• Work will be done in Cordley Hall.
• Work will be between 6-12 hours a week depending on availability of student and supervisor.
• This position is open to work‑study students only.

Anticipated Start Date: 2026-09-30

Anticipated End Date:

Locations

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport. Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state‑of‑the‑art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life.
• OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical care insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.
• Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

At Oregon State University, no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University. If requested, OSU will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants in order to provide access to the application, interviewing and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on your application to receive an accommodation. Please request any reasonable accommodations for disability as early as possible in the application and search process. Requests may be directed to the hiring unit, or to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at [phone].

See Request an Accommodation Procedures for the OSU policy.

Oregon State University, in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX and its regulations, does not unlawfully discriminate and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including in academic admissions and employment.

The university prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin (including ancestry and ethnicity), citizenship, marital or family status, pregnancy or related conditions, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status / service in the uniformed service, or any other status protected by law or OSU policy.

Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to OSU’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (link to https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr), or both.

OSU’s Title IX Coordinator is the Executive Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). For information on OSU’s nondiscrimination policy and procedures, including how to report information about conduct that may constitute discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, contact EOA by phone: [phone], email: [e-mail], mail/location: 330 Snell Hall, Corvallis OR 97331, or visit EOA’s website: eoa.oregonstate.edu.

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