[Biology-U-L] Coastal Watershed Job announcement

[Biology Undergraduate List]

Santa Barbara Coastal LTER Watershed Group looking for undergraduate 
research assistants


The Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research (SBC LTER) 
project is looking to recruit undergraduate researchers to assist with 
collecting water chemistry samples from southern Santa Barbara County 
study watersheds, conducting stream channel morphological surveying to 
ascertain stage-discharge relationships, and performing various field 
equipment maintenance tasks as needed.  The Watershed Group of the SBC 
LTER aims to study and understand the relationship between coastal 
watershed runoff, terrestrial sediments and nutrients, and kelp forest 
and nearshore ecosystem structure and function.

 

Santa Barbara is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, meaning 
upwards of 90% of our region's rainfall occurs in the winter months 
(typically November -- April).  The unpredictable nature of storm events 
in our area, coupled with the project's goal of characterizing nutrient 
and sediment flows to the coastal ocean, necessitates event-based 
sampling of storm runoff.  Unfortunately, many storms begin at 
inconvenient hours, requiring us to brave the frigid night air as we 
diligently collect samples.  The amount of sampling we do is entirely 
dependent on the frequency of rainstorms -- in drier winters there is 
less intensive sampling, while during wetter El Nino winters there is 
typically much more.  If you're the type of person that really enjoys 
conducting fieldwork, stomping through puddles in the rain, observing 
the impressive power of moving water, and just plain tends to like their 
science with a hint of "wild" on the side, you'll like this job.

 

We do a continuous loop of sampling in Santa Barbara at three sampling 
sites (Arroyo Burro Creek, Mission Creek, and Rattlesnake Creek), aiming 
to collect a water chemistry sample every 1-2 hours on the rising limb 
of the hydrograph (stream level rising) and every 2-4 hours on the 
falling limb (stream level falling).  This means you'd need your own 
vehicle to make the rounds, for which you will be reimbursed for total 
mileage driven.

 

If interested in a position with us, please send a brief background of 
your experience, major, and research interests to Blair Goodridge 
(bgoodridge at bren.ucsb.edu <mailto:bgoodridge at bren.ucsb.edu>).

 

Thanks for your interest!


 

Blair Goodridge

Santa Barbara Coastal LTER

UCSB Marine Science Institute

 

 

 

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