Description:

We are seeking a Ph.D. student with an interest in the intersections of drone-based LiDAR technology and bird habitat conservation to lead an assessment of microtopography in Gulf high marsh systems in association with prescribed fire. The study is part of the second phase of the multi-institutional Firebird project, sponsored by the NOAA RESTORE Science Program and will be co-led out of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Geosystems Research Institute at Mississippi State University. The study will include field data collection of very fine spatial resolution LiDAR and ground-based vegetation surveys in estuarine high marsh areas occupied and unoccupied by the federally threatened Eastern Black Rail on sites in Florida and Texas. The aim of this study is to: 1) assess species-habitat associations with fine-scale differences in marsh microtopography; 2) understand effects of prescribed fire on microtopographical structure in these systems; and 3) optimize methods of drone-based LiDAR data collection across different sensors and flight parameters. Field data collection will take place during winter and summer of 2027–2030. The student will learn advanced fundamentals of small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS), LiDAR sensor calibration and data post-processing, vegetation data collection, and statistical modeling of species-habitat associations. The student will interact closely with partners in the Firebird project, which represents an active collaboration among multiple federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations and universities and will have the opportunity to present at regional and national meetings and conferences. Although the research will primarily be focused on advanced remote sensing analyses, the ideal candidate will have an interest in applying remote sensing to questions to assessing characteristics of Eastern Black Rail habitat. Data will be used to help inform recovery efforts for Eastern Black Rail and high marsh restoration efforts in Gulf ecosystems.

The student will also be part of the Quantitative Ecology and Spatial Technologies Lab at Mississippi State University, which is a is a research consortium of spatial and quantitative ecologists dedicated to the management and conservation of wildlife from individuals to communities and their associated landscapes. The position requires strong remote sensing, field, and quantitative skills, along with the ability to work and think independently. The position also requires strong writing skills for proposal and dissertation/publication development.

Qualifications:

M.S. or equivalent degree in geosciences, remote sensing, geomatics, wildlife and fisheries sciences, biological sciences, natural resource science, conservation biology, or other related fields with GPA >3.0. Applicants must be self-motivated, safety-oriented, able to work independently in both cold and hot/humid weather conditions. The student must have extensive experience with remote sensing data, quantitative analysis, and scientific writing. Experience with sUAS (drone)-based field operations, LiDAR data post-processing, and research in coastal marsh environments is preferred but not required. Please indicate if you currently hold a FAA sUAS Part 107 remote pilot certification in your application.