Work Study Only: Undergraduate Ecology Research Assistant

Department:

Botany and Plant Pathology

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

• Transcripts
• A brief cover letter detailing your experience in any of the qualification of the position and interest in the position (1-3 paragraphs).

For additional information please contact: Bella Stiver at [email protected]

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval

Job Description:

This recruitment will be used to fill one Undergraduate Ecology Research Assistant part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) approx. 12 hours for the Dept of Botany and Plant Pathology (BPP) at Oregon State University (OSU).

The Halliday Lab in the Botany and Plant Pathology department at Oregon State University is seeking an undergraduate research assistant to support an ecology literature synthesis and meta-analysis. The assistant will help organize and summarize scientific literature related to priority effects in host-associated systems.

This project examines how the order in which organisms colonize a host can influence which species successfully establish and how host-associated communities develop. Using published ecological studies, we are conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to understand how these “priority effects” shape interactions among microbes, parasites, and other host-associated organisms. The goal is to synthesize existing evidence to identify general patterns across different host-symbiont systems and ecological contexts.

If you’re interested in ecology and want to learn more/get research experience, please apply!

Position Duties:

• Extract and research covariates from selected papers (70%)
• Maintain structured spreadsheets of reviewed studies (15%)
• Participate in periodic meetings with supervisor to discuss progress and challenges (10%)
• Support preparation of figures, tables, or summary documents for reports or manuscripts (5%)

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career-readiness skills in the primary areas below:

Critical Thinking, Teamwork, Technology, Professionalism

Qualifications:

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home-schooling program Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term* Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term*

*International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered “full-time” by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Required Qualifications:

• Current undergraduate student in Ecology, Biology, Botany, or a related field
• Strong reading comprehension of scientific literature
• Attention to detail and ability to follow research protocols
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• Basic data management or spreadsheet skills (Excel, Google Sheets, or R)
• Coursework in ecology, botany/mycology, parasitology, or plant pathology
• Familiarity with scientific literature databases

Working Conditions/Schedule:

• Work will be done in Cordley Hall. • Work will be between 6-12 hours a week depending on availability of student and supervisor. • This position is open to work-study students only.

Salary Range:

Anticipated Start Date:

2026-09-30

Anticipated End Date: