TITLE: Senior Research Assistant, Requisition #0600506
ANTICIPATED START DATE: July 1, 2012
SALARY:  $36,000.  Continued employment is contingent upon federal funding.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor's degree in Biology, Soil Science. Environmental Sciences or field of research applicable to the position and three years of related experience. Must have a Valid Driver's License.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  The selected individual will be self-motivated, flexible, possess strong supervisory and organizational abilities, enjoy working under desert field conditions with high heat and sun exposure (as this is primarily a desert field position), work reliably both independently and as part of a team, establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and principle investigators, be comfortable working safely with moderately hazardous materials, recognize the extreme accuracy and consistency essential to long term research, follow detailed oral and/or written instructions precisely, communicate well both verbally and in writing, and be able to coordinate needs with other agencies/groups. Acute attention to small details, enthusiasm, and the ability to get along well with co-workers, supervisors, and principle investigators are musts.

Ideally, the successful candidate will have field experience in plant identification and the use of dichotomous keys, experience working in a lab environment, good working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, be
comfortable using hand and power tools, and have field experience in research related to the research areas addressed by this LTER program as well as demonstrated skills in training and directing work of assigned
staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  Work is based out of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM.  Individual will participate in the on-going and multi-disciplinary Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program on desertification in the Chihuahuan Desert. Research disciplines include plant ecology (~35%), aeolian studies (~25%), hydrology (~10%), animal ecology (<5%), soils (~9%), and climatology
(~5%). Approximately 80% of the time will be spent outdoors collecting data, with the remaining 20% of the time spent in the lab processing samples, cleaning equipment, checking data, and maintaining appropriate
documentation.  Although the position is usually 40 hours a week, additional hours may occasionally be required both during the week and on weekends.

Specific field responsibilities include plant measurements and identification (~200 species); soil moisture measurements using a neutron probe; collection of aeolian dust and hydrology samples; handling and identification of small mammals (~20 species); and maintenance of field instruments, equipment, and infrastructure. The
position will entail manual labor such as routine carrying of heavy instruments in the field for extended periods and that related to infrastructure maintenance.  General responsibilities include collecting and recording moderately complex data in both field and laboratory environments in accordance with established protocols; data entry; maintaining organizational and historical data for each study; aiding principle investigators with data collection; design, testing, and/or modification of experimental equipment and procedures; and the installation of experimental apparatus.

The Senior Research Assistant also supervises and coordinates the collection, recording, and error checking of research data; assists with scheduling and evaluation of assigned staff; assists with establishing and documenting protocols; maintains experimental data, organizational data, and other records; assists with and/or supervises the setting up of experimental apparatus, instruments, and other equipment; manages a small laboratory according to federal and university regulations; maintains accurate inventory records; acts as a liason for principle investigators; provides support for visiting scientists; and performs related work as required. Information about the Jornada Basin LTER program: http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu.

BENEFITS:  Group medical and hospital insurance, group life insurance, state education retirement, worker's compensation, sick leave, and unemployment compensation.

Review of APPLICATIONS:  Review of applications will begin June 20th and close June 27th. Submit letter of interest, resume or CV, copy of unofficial transcripts, and 3 letters of reference with contact
information.

REPLY TO: For a complete job description or to apply for this position, visit http://jobs.nmsu.edu, Requisition #0600506. Questions about the position may be directed to John Anderson, Jornada LTER Site Manager,
Voice: 505-646-5818; Email: [email protected].
Note to applicants:  The NMSU electronic application is the "official" document that will be used to qualify applicants.  Letter of Interest and Resume will only be used as a screening tool for the hiring
department.  Paper/email documents will not be accepted. Required documents must be attached to the online electronic application. The other attachment option is being made available to facilitate attaching transcripts.