Burke Museum – Paleontology & Geology Collections Manager

The University of Washington Burke Museum invites applications for the full-time position of collections manager of paleontology and geology. The Burke Museum, located on the university campus in Seattle, is a repository for research collections and has substantial exhibit and K-16 outreach programs. Fossil collections at the Burke Museum are actively growing and include over three million specimens distributed in several subdisciplines: vertebrate paleontology, paleobotany (including pollen and phytoliths), invertebrate paleontology, and micropaleontology. A smaller collection of minerals and meteorites is also part of the divisional holdings. Currently, the fossil collections are managed by four half-time faculty curators, one full-time fossil lab manager, and one collections manager. The volume of the collection exceeds proportionally the number of individuals tasked with managing both the specimens and the accompanying digital resources.

This position must support diverse paleontogy collections, to include vertebrate paleontology, invertebrate paleontology, paleobotany,micropaleontology, and geology, on and off-site. Each collection must be managed appropriately, and each set of data is housed in a different database file. There is much work to be done to bring all of the collections under the appropriate level of care and organization, as the use of the collections for research is determined by their accessibility both digitally and tangibly.

Basic Functions:
The successful candidate will assist the curators in day-to-day collections operations. Specific responsibilities include:

• Management and Maintenance of Collections: 75%
• Growth of the Collections: 10%
• Public Outreach: 15%

Required Qualifications:

• Masters Degree in Paleobiology or related field
• Four to five years related work experience
• Proficient experience with computer databases and online access of natural history collections

Desired Qualifications:

• PhD in Paleobiology or related field
• Experience with GPS mapping and GIS technology
• Experience with MySQL or related relational database systems
• Experience writing funded grant proposals

Conditions of Employment:

• Work in a lab that is visible to the public; work weekends as scheduled

Application Process: The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.

Here is the link: UW Hires UW Req # 164053 Paleontology & Geology Collections Manager

Summer Internship at Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park is hosting a Natural Resource Interpretive Assistant summer internship through the NPS Mosaics in Science program. The deadline for applications is February 3, 2019.
The Mosaics in Science Program is focused on persons that are under-represented in STEM fields. Students and recent graduates that are African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American are encouraged to apply for these internships. In order to be eligible for a MIS intern position, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”) between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. A Mosaics Intern within the Mosaics in Science Diversity Program is an entry-level natural resource science internship that focuses on career exploration and building fundamental natural resource science skills. Each Mosaics Intern will receive a weekly stipend of $400, park-provided housing or a housing allowance and paid travel expenses. Interns who successfully complete 640 hours of work in one or more eligible internships and are under the age of 30 will be eligible for the Public Land Corps Non-competitive Hiring Authority for two years following the completion of the internship. Successful completion of a Mosaics in Science internship does not guarantee that the participant will be hired into a federal position. 

Position Description: The Natural Resource Interpretive Assistant will primarily develop wayside content for a geology-themed loop drive in the park. The participant will receive adequate training in Foundations of 21st Century interpretation techniques to effectively communicate the geology of the park to visitors. The park is an ideal place to interpret geologic history, paleontology, evolution, past climate change, and tectonics. The participant can, therefore, expect to do extensive research on the geology and paleontology of the park utilizing academic journal articles and textbooks. The participant may also work on other interpretive media related to geologic resources of the park, such as written brochures, temporary exhibits, and/or outdoor signs/displays. In addition, the participant may develop curriculum-based learning materials. This position is offered through the National Park Service's Mosaics in Science Internship Program in partnership with Environment for the Americas and Greening Youth Foundation.

More info can be found here: https://www.mosaicsinscience.org/job/pollinator-steward/. 

Posted on behalf of the park's Education Specialist Ricardo Escobar (ricardo_escobar@nps.gov).

Internship positions - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The deadline is fast approaching for internship positions at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument for this summer! 

We have three Geoscientists-in-Parks (GIP) internships and one Direct Hire Authority-Resource Assistant (DHA-RA) Opportunity. GIP internship opportunities are designed for participants between the ages of 18 and 35 years old and are 12 weeks long. The DHA-RA program is a unique opportunity in which participants who successfully complete the requirements receive a 2-year eligibility period, starting from the date of their degree, during which they can be non-competitively hired by the Department of Interior (NPS, BLM, USGS, USFWS, etc.). These opportunities are available to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. The DHA-RA program is focused on full representation of women and participants from Historically Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander, and Native American schools or other schools with diverse student populations. To be eligible for a DHA-RA position, participants must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”), currently enrolled in an institution of higher education, and graduate after completion of the internship. Students enrolled in certificate programs are not eligible for DHA positions.

GIP Interns

Natural Resource Interpretive Assistant (2 positions): https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/viewJob.asp?jobID=2445

Paleontology Assistant: https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/viewJob.asp?jobID=2444

DHA-RA

Geology Assistant: https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/viewJob.asp?jobID=1611

The deadline to submit is February 3rd, 2019.

Curatorial Assistant II, Invertebrate and Vertebrate Paleontology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University

Duties & Responsibilities
Reports to the Curatorial Associate of Invertebrate Paleontology (IP)/[Acting] Curatorial Associate of Vertebrate Paleontology (VP) in the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ). The Curatorial Assistant will be responsible for assisting the Curatorial Associate with day-to-day collection activities in both the VP and IP collections; update all collection indices as necessary; assists with processing of loans, returns and exchanges; answer pertinent correspondence in consultation with Curatorial Associate; assist visitors with access to collections and department library; may perform clerical duties required by the collection such as ordering or mailings. The curatorial assistant processes data relevant to taxonomic and collection information into the museum database, including accessions. May assist in fossil preparation and preservation, maintenance, renovation of collection, pertinent inquiries and visitors to the MCZ collections and facilities, and executes related duties as assigned. Provides clerical functions incidental to the curatorial activities. Attends regular staff trainings/meetings. Contributes to unit goals by accomplishing related duties as required.


Basic Qualifications
1+ years of experience working in a museum collection, or a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with coursework in geology, paleontology, or other closely related fields (e.g. zoology, evolution, etc.) Experience with data processing, spreadsheet and database software.


Additional Qualifications
College background in geology, biology or museum studies. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Experience working with collection database management programs, and web interface required. Knowledge PC computers, including Microsoft Word and Excel in addition to demonstrated comfort with learning new software applications. Must be flexible and willing to take on new assignments. Ideal candidate will have great attention to detail, be self-motivated, and the ability to work as part of a team. Should be able to demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills. Must be able to lift 30 lbs. Vertebrate Paleontology experience preferred.


Additional InformationThis is a one year term position ending approximately January 31, 2020. A cover letter and resume must be submitted in order to be considered for this position.

More information here: https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25240&siteid=5341#jobDetails=1430506_5341

University Assistant (Postdoc), Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna

The Department of Palaeontology, in the University of Vienna is looking for a University Assistant (Postdoc) in Conservation Paleobiology. Details below or see the posting here.

We seek an outstanding candidate to work in our research team on Conservation Paleobiology, Historical Ecology and Stratigraphic Paleobiology in the Cenozoic marine fossil record. We study how the near-and deep-time fossil record can be used to understand the ecological and evolutionary responses of species to changes in their environment. We use the stratigraphic context to aid in the interpretation of biological history and processes. You can make use of existing collections, participate in ongoing projects and apply for your own projects.The position involves work at the interface of Earth- and Life Sciences, partly building on available collections and partly on material to be collected in new field campaigns. A general aim is to extract environmental and ecological information from fossils. Approaches can involve sclerochronology, isotopic geochemistry, taphonomy, population and community paleoecology, and/or paleobiogeography (or any other tools that can be helpful).

You will have the opportunity to work within a dedicated team on exciting and innovative new fields of Paleobiology, while profiting from the international environment in the Department of Paleontology within the lively city of Vienna.

Duration of employment: 6 year/s
Extent of Employment: 40 hours/week
Job grading in accordance with collective bargaining agreement: §48 VwGr. B1 lit. b (postdoc) with relevant work experience determining the assignment to a particular salary grade.

Job Description (Reference number: 9386): 
Active participation in research, teaching and administration. This involves
- Developing and strengthening the independent research profile
- Involvement in research project/research studies
- International publications and presentations
- Responsibility for project applications and the acquisition of third-party funding
- Independent teaching of courses as defined by the collective agreement
- Supervision of students
- Participation in evaluation measures and quality assurance
- Involvement in the department administration as well as in teaching and research administration

Application documents:
Your application should be in English (preferably) and a single PDF file that includes
- Letter of motivation
- Academic curriculum vitae (with a list of publications and presentations)
- Statement of research plans (maximum of two pages), including a brief proposal/outline of research plans over the next 6 years
Furthermore, you should arrange for three persons to send a recommendation letter to jobcenter@univie.ac.at (mentioning reference number 9386) by the closing date.

Applications including a letter of motivation (German or English) should be submitted via the Job Center to the University of Vienna (http://jobcenter.univie.ac.at) no later than 14.02.2019, mentioning reference number 9386.

For further information please contact Zuschin, Martin +43-1-4277-53555.

GSA 2019 Call for proposals

Help us promote Geobiology at the 2019 GSA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, (22–25 September)! Submit a relevant session proposal or short course that we can sponsor! Details below.
GSA Technical Sessions
Extended* Technical Session proposal deadline: 20 February 2019
Proposals are being taken for both Pardee Keynote and Topical Sessions.


GSA short course
Extended* Short Course proposal deadline: 20 February 2019
Courses run the Friday and Saturday before the Annual Meeting and are typically a half day to two full days.

* In an effort to assist federal geoscientists affected by the prolonged U.S. government shutdown, The Geological Society of America is extending its deadline for submitting technical sessions and short course proposals for the 2019 Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

The new due date is Wednesday, 20 February 2019, at 11:59 p.m. PST.

GSA is committed to accommodating the full participation of furloughed scientists in whatever ways we can.

ROM Assistant Curator- Dawn of Life Gallery

The ROM is pleased to invite applications for the position of Contract Assistant Curator – Content Coordinator, to assist with the development of the new Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery. The successful applicant will join the Invertebrate Palaeontology section of the ROM’s Department of Natural History.  You will assist the ROM’s curatorial team of invertebrate and vertebrate palaeontologists in the development and coordination of content for the new gallery.

The ROM is currently developing a new permanent palaeontology gallery to open in 2021.  Highlighting the ROM’s superb fossil collections, along with new and profound ground-breaking research, the landmark exhibits of the Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery will convey the rich, complex and immensely long story of evolving life on our dynamic planet.  Covering more than 3.5 billion years of evolution (origin of life to end of the Triassic period), this new gallery will complete the temporal and conceptual integration of all Level 2 Natural History exhibits, leading from the Teck Suite of Galleries:  Earth’s Treasures, and connect directly to the James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs, the Reed Gallery of the Age of Mammals, and ultimately to the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity:  Life in Crisis. 

The Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery will be based on the rich ROM fossil collections to invertebrates, plants, microbes and vertebrates and will include many fossils from Canada including from four Canadian UNESCO sites.  This gallery will also introduce key earth and life processes, evolutionary concepts and major evolutionary innovations as well as extinction events. 

Qualifications

• Applicants must hold a minimum of a Master’s degree in Biology, Geology or Philosophy of Sciences related to the history of life or evolutionary theories at the time of appointment
• Strong knowledge in paleontological principles is a prerequisite
• A history of research and peer-reviewed publication focusing on palaeozoic invertebrate fossils is preferred
• Excellent writing skills and proficiency in sourcing, reading and summarizing technical sources. The ability to summarize key concepts and write narratives or scripts in a language accessible to the general public is a prerequisite. 
• Candidates with prior experience in gallery development will be given priority.
• Proficiency in spoken and written French is desirable. 
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines in a stressful environment is required. 

How to Apply

Applications for the position will be accepted until February 13, 2019. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Applicants should provide a letter of interest detailing their research interests and projects, a curriculum vitae, two published/scholarly writing samples, and should arrange to have up to three confidential letters of recommendation sent on their behalf. Forward all to:

• Royal Ontario Museum, Human Resources Department, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2C6

E-mail: careers@rom.on.ca Please quote Competition #2019 – 003 Contract Assistant Curator – Dawn of Life Gallery on the subject line.

The ROM is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. Upon request, suitable accommodations are available under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) to applicants invited to an interview.

Paleontological Society Student Representative

The Paleontological Society is soliciting nominations for a Student Representative to Council.

Eligibility: Nominations are encouraged from paleontology graduate students who are early-mid stage in their graduate programs from all backgrounds and institutions, particularly those that have historically been under-represented on the Paleontological Society Council.

The Role: Student Representatives serve as voices for student needs in the Society and play leading roles in student activities including organizing student events at the Geological Society of America Conference. Student Representatives are further encouraged to develop and lead new student initiatives. In this role, students gain knowledge of the inner-workings of an international organization and experience in professional service.

The selected Student Representative (who will start her/his role in the Fall) will join current Student Representative Bridget Kelly and serve a two-year term. Student Representatives attend two Council meetings per year (one during fall at the Geological Society of America Conference and the other during spring in Bethesda, MD).

Application: Please submit 1) a cover sheet listing your name, degree (MS, MA, PhD, etc.), expected graduation year, and email address, 2) a short letter of nomination from the student’s academic mentor or other faculty member at the student’s home institution and 3) a concise essay (of no more than 500 words) written by the student detailing interest in the role, previous experience with professional service (if any), and what the student hopes to accomplish through her/his service.

Applications should be sent by the student’s nominator as a single PDF to current Student Representative, Kristopher Kusnerik at kmkusnerik@ufl.edu with the subject line “Student Representative Nomination (insert student’s name)”. Deadline for consideration is February 18, 2019.

The Student Representative will be selected in March. Please feel free to contact Kris with any additional questions at the above email.

2019 Geobiology Course

The International Geobiology Course is now accepting applications!

For additional course information and requirements, please visit our website: http://web.gps.caltech.edu/GBcourse/

Applications must be submitted by February 8, 2019. http://web.gps.caltech.edu/GBcourse/application.html

Norman Newell Grant for early career paleontologists

I would like to draw your attention to the Norman Newell Grant for early career paleontologists (deadline: Feb. 1, 2019). The grant is funded by the Paleontological Society (PS) and applicants must be current members of the PS at the time of application.

Eligible applicants include paleontologists within five years of their Ph.D., who are members in good standing of the Paleontological Society. Applications are encouraged from anywhere in the world, except those from countries with economic or trade sanctions imposed by the U.S.
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The Norman Newell grants complement the Arthur Boucot grants, and preference is therefore given to research projects in areas not covered by the Arthur Boucot grant topical areas of morphology, taxonomy, and biostratigraphy. Applicants can only apply to one of these Early Career Grants per funding year. To broaden the reach of Paleontological Society funds, recipients of a Norman Newell grant may not apply for an Arthur Boucot grant, nor may they apply for a second Norman Newell grant. Similarly, recipients of an Arthur Boucot grant may not apply for a Norman Newell grant.

Four Norman Newell grants of $5,000 each will be made each year. Awards are made directly to individuals and not to institutions, and awards cannot be used for salary, stipends, tuition, or institutional overhead.

Application instructions (including downloadable form and details on two required letters of recommendation) and complete grant details are available at:
http://paleosoc.org/grants-and-awards/paleontological-society-newell-grant/

Information for the complementary Paleontological Society Arthur James Boucot Research Grants for early career paleontologists (with the same deadline) is available at:
https://paleosoc.org/grants-and-awards/paleontological-society-arthur-james-boucot-research-grants/

Curator position at the Natural History Museum of LA

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA) seeks a Curator (Assistant preferred, but open to all ranks) to lead its research on invertebrate paleontology and paleoecology, to oversee the growth and care of collections of NHMLA’s Department of Invertebrate Paleontology (IP), and to provide content for a variety of public programs. More specifically, the successful candidate will conduct collection-based research in late Cenozoic marine paleoecology, with the aim of contributing to NHMLA’s program of long-term ecological change in Southern California.

NHMLA’s vast IP collection (> 7 million specimens) spans half a billion years of biological and geological evolution in Southern California. It includes fossils of all major marine invertebrate groups as well as ichnofossils, and contains the world’s largest collection of Cretaceous-Cenozoic mollusks from the Pacific Rim, the result of a century of research by NHMLA staff and amalgamation of collections from several Southern California universities. Half of this collection consists of fossils from the Pleistocene Epoch. Of the 3.5M Pleistocene specimens, 1.5M have been digitized, allowing this long-term dataset to bear on questions of Southern California’s ecological past and present, in turn greatly augmenting the efforts of NHMLA’s coastal biodiversity initiatives by incorporating a paleontological perspective.

The successful candidate will have a record of outstanding research, excellent communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to engage the public and stakeholders. A Ph.D., a strong record of peer-reviewed publications focusing on late Cenozoic marine invertebrate paleoecology and paleontology, and demonstrated ability to secure extramural funding are required. Experience in managing large natural history collections and active field programs are highly desirable. The Curator will be expected to build an active and publicly appealing research program, to lead continued improvement of the IP collections, to oversee all NHMLA’s programs on invertebrate fossils, and to supervise staff and volunteers of the IP Department. Additionally, the successful candidate is expected to develop working relationships with local universities, mentor students and postdoctoral fellows, strengthen NHMLA’s presence in key professional and governmental networks, and maintain research through competitive grants and/or other funding from external sources. The Curator will be expected to participate actively in a broad range of museum activities, including exhibits, education, community science programs, educator and volunteer training, public communications, media interactions, and fundraising activities. A vision and capability to build a research program that can be integrated with NHMLA’s ongoing efforts to understand regional biodiversity, and to shape the collections and research in ways that activate both their scientific and public appeal, is paramount.

NHMLA is seeking applicants who have demonstrated experience and commitment working with a diverse community. This is a full-time position with a salary and title commensurate with experience.

Application deadline is February 15, 2019. The starting date is July 1, 2019. Applicants should send a cover letter, vision statement, curriculum vitae, and the full contact information of at least three professional references as a single PDF document to thayden@nhm.org, Marine Invertebrate Paleoecology Curatorial Search. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NMNH paleo and education job

Happy New Year!

The NMNH is currently looking for someone to fulfill a 16-month contract position in the paleobiology and education departments. The contractor will primarily be responsible for coordination of the Fossil Atmospheres citizen science project. The NMNH is looking for someone with a strong paleobiology or natural science background, preferably with experience in education, citizen science and/or project management.

Full details can be found on the following page under the heading 'Community Coordinator, Fossil Atmospheres Project': https://naturalhistory.si.edu/education/work-opportunities

As this is a contract, the application is in the form of a quote, but comprises many of the same materials as a regular application. The deadline for quotes is 5pm January 18th. Any questions about the position, or about how to apply, can be sent to SoulL@si.edu