The Damschen Lab is now accepting applications for full-time field/lab assistant positions to begin late May/early June, 2024 and continue through the summer. All positions listed below are based in Madison, Wisconsin with frequent travel around Southern Wisconsin. Previous field experience preferred, though not necessary. Enthusiasm for plant conservation and ecology required! Pay for these positions generally starts at $13/hour.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. If interested, please fill out this Google Form to join our contact list. The Damschen Lab aims to make science and ecology more inclusive of people of all identities, and we strongly encourage people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds to consider working with us. Please see our full mission and values statement.
Functional Trait Technician
Functional trait technicians will work under the supervision of postdoctoral researcher, Christopher Warneke to aid in the processing of plant functional traits for species from Wisconsin natural areas and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Work includes weekly plant collections in remnant prairies and savannahs in southern Wisconsin, making plant measurements in the lab (e.g. seed coat thickness, SLA, plant height, etc.), and helping out with various other projects in the lab. We are hiring up to two people for 12 weeks for this position, beginning mid-May/early June. Contact Christopher Warneke at warneke@wisc.edu with questions about the position or project.
Prairie Plant Community Research Technician
Prairie plant community research technicians will work under the supervision of graduate student Michelle Homann to gain an understanding of impacts of prescribed fire and winter climate change on tallgrass prairie plant communities and their phenology. Technicians will collect seedling data for several native species in a prairie restoration at Mounds View Grassland. This work includes visiting marked plants each week and collecting growth and survival data. With the help of your mentor, you will become acquainted with over 60 native tallgrass prairie species and help determine plant community composition at field sites by estimating vegetative and reproductive cover. We are hiring up to two people full-time for 12 weeks beginning in late May. Contact Michelle Homann at mhomann@wisc.edu with questions about the position or project.
Floral Trait Research Technician
Floral Resources Research Technicians will work under the supervision of postdoctoral researcher Stephanie McFarlane to study the effects of restoration on floral resources and pollen chemistry to information pollinator diversity. Technicians will learn how to identify nearly 100 species of flowering plants found in tallgrass prairies. This position will begin in early June, is primarily field-based, and will include frequent travel in and around Madison, WI. Technicians will collect floral inflorescences in the field and measure various floral traits in the lab, including floral display size, floral unit abundance, and floral reward quantity and quality. Technicians will also be trained to collect plant community data at restored and remnant prairies. We are hiring up to three people for this position. Contact Stephanie Mcfarlane at mcfarlane@wisc.edu with questions about the position or project.
Biodiversity Survey Technician
Biodiversity survey technicians will work with post-docotoral researchers, Christopher Warneke and Stephanie Mcfarlane, to aid in setting up and collecting preliminary data in a long-term biodiversity monitoring program for the Lakeshore Nature Preserve at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Work includes plot setup, plant collection, methods testing for plants, birds, and bats. Work may include assistance with developing public outreach materials and planning bioblitzes. Contact Christopher Warneke at warneke@wisc.edu with questions about the position or project.
Greenhouse Mesocosm Research Technician
Greenhouse Mesocosm Research Technicians will work under the supervision of graduate student Michelle Homann to help determine the interacting effects of seed arrival order and precipitation on growth and survival of several native prairie plant species. The technician will aid in data collection and daily watering for a study at Walnut Street Greenhouse. We are hiring one person part-time (~25 hours/week). Contact Michelle Homann at mhomann@wisc.edu with questions about the position or project.
Damschen Research Lab 