Opportunities
Undergraduate
We strongly encourage undergraduate research projects, but often only have space for one new undergraduate student a year. Projects that are most successful begin at the freshman or sophomore year and the ideal student is willing to commit several hours a week on a project through to their senior year. Upper class students with prior lab experience and a specific research project may also be considered.
Graduate
Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Soil Nematode Ecology - University of North Dakota
The Darby Soil Ecology and Ecological Genomics Lab at the University of North Dakota is seeking a Ph.D. student for a USDA-funded soil health monitoring research project. The goal of this project is to characterize the plant and soil nematodes associated with grassland restorations of the Conservation Reserve Program. The ideal candidate will have experience with soil sampling and laboratory techniques related to nematode extraction, counting, and identification (either morphological and/or molecular), with a M.S. degree in a related field (although we would consider qualified M.S. applicants as well). To apply, please send a single PDF file to Dr. Brian Darby (brian.darby@und.edu) that includes a 1-2 page cover letter (including your academic background and current status, scientific interests, professional goals, and experiences with the relevant lab and analytical skills), curriculum vitae (plus any significant publications), graduate and undergraduate (unofficial) transcripts and GRE scores, and contact information for three references (institutional affiliation, email, and phone). Review of applications is ongoing and will continue until a candidate is identified and invited to apply for admission to the University of North Dakota graduate program to begin as soon as January or summer 2024. Preliminary letters of inquiry are welcome.
Dr. Brian Darby
Dept of Biology, University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58202, Stop 9019
brian.darby@email.UND.edu
701.777.4678
Post-Doc
We do not currently have funding for a post-doc. If you are interested in seeking funding for post-doctoral work in our lab, contact me with specific ideas for a research project and potential funding sources. Keep in mind that project development will need to begin well in advance of the desired start date: some funding cycles can be up to a year in length, if successful, and the time required for proposal development will take up to an additional four months.