A PhD Assistantship in harbor seal spatial ecology is available through the Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (USGS) at Colorado State University Responsibilities: The Ph.D. student will be responsible for conducting research that aims to pair existing data with contemporary spatial and spatio--temporal modeling methodology to address several unresolved questions about harbor seal ecology. The student will have discretion in the development of their dissertation modeling research focus, with an emphasis on meeting the ecological interests of project collaborators. The student will also be expected to interact with ADF&G scientists, write reports and prepare scientific manuscripts related to the research described above, complete relevant coursework, and present findings to other scientists and managers. Qualifications: MS degree in an ecology or statistics related discipline, with a GPA exceeding 3.0 and a minimum of 70% combined GRE percentile (quant and verbal). Preferred applicants will have experience managing and analyzing large spatial datasets and a solid background in quantitative ecology and statistical modeling. Funding: Funding for this position is provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, who have ongoing research projects for harbor seals and other marine mammal species. This assistantship is housed in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Assistantship stipend is $2000/month plus tuition. Starting Date: Fall Semester 2012 Application Process: Email letter of interest, resume, transcripts, GRE scores, and names of three references to: Dr. Mevin Hooten at: mevin.hooten@colostate.edu. <mailto:mevin.hooten@colostate.edu> Applicants will need to apply formally for admission as a graduate student in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology or the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at CSU before acceptance. Deadline: Full consideration will be given to applications received by February 15, 2012. Applications will be accepted through March 15, 2012. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and complies with all federal and Colorado laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. Colorado State University is committed to providing a safe, productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final candidates being considered for employment. Background checks may include, but are not limited to, criminal history, national sex offender search and motor vehicle history.