Part-Time Research Assistant – Lieurance Invasion Ecology Lab

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Dr. Lieurance in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management currently has an opening for paid part-time research assistant(s). The successful candidate will assist with sponsored research conducting invasion status assessments on non-native species present in the US. Duties include training with US Dept. of Agriculture sponsors, completing status assessments of non-native plants, conducting literature reviews, assisting in reviewing completed assessments, attending regular meetings, and other tasks related to invasion assessments.

Please submit an application with a resume/CV and short statement detailing your interest. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position(s) have been filled.

Context:

This agreement will support the use of the USDA-APHIS-PPQ Weed Status Assessment (WSA), a process that helps determine how invasive certain high-risk non-native plants are in the United States. The results will guide which weeds should be prioritized for classical biological control—using natural enemies, such as insects or pathogens, to manage them. In the past, these targets were often chosen based on expert opinion or requests from local land managers. While valuable, that approach can be subjective. The WSA uses a more evidence-based method, combining scientific data, modeling, and input from stakeholders to make decisions that are more effective, efficient, and transparent. It looks at where a plant is currently found, how quickly it could spread, the damage it causes, and how difficult it is to control. This information helps ensure that biocontrol programs focus on the species where they can have the greatest impact.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

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