Description
The Roadside Ecology Center (REC) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) invites applications for eight (8) full-time Interdisciplinary Scientists. These positions conduct field-based ecological research and environmental compliance work in support of the Center’s mission to assess and mitigate the impacts of transportation infrastructure on wildlife and ecosystems. The REC operates through a long-term partnership between SIU and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), serving the environmental compliance needs of the southern third of Illinois while advancing applied research in road ecology.
Positions are assigned to either the Biological Team—focused on wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and multi-taxa surveys—or the Wetland Team, focused on wetland delineation, functional assessment, and aquatic resources. All positions require multi-taxa competency, strong field skills, GIS proficiency, and collaborative work across disciplines.
IDOT and the REC seek scientists who are research-minded, multi-taxa generalists. The research emphasis is on identifying resource concerns, determining appropriate mitigation and offset strategies, evaluating current best management practices, and conducting defensible research on avoidance and minimization in the built environment.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.
Examples of Duties
The Roadside Ecology Center (REC) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) invites applications for eight (8) full-time Interdisciplinary Scientists. These positions conduct field-based ecological research and environmental compliance work in support of the Center’s mission to assess and mitigate the impacts of transportation infrastructure on wildlife and ecosystems. The REC operates through a long-term partnership between SIU and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), serving the environmental compliance needs of the southern third of Illinois while advancing applied research in road ecology.
Positions are assigned to either the Biological Team—focused on wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and multi-taxa surveys—or the Wetland Team, focused on wetland delineation, functional assessment, and aquatic resources. All positions require multi-taxa competency, strong field skills, GIS proficiency, and collaborative work across disciplines.
IDOT and the REC seek scientists who are research-minded, multi-taxa generalists. The research emphasis is on identifying resource concerns, determining appropriate mitigation and offset strategies, evaluating current best management practices, and conducting defensible research on avoidance and minimization in the built environment.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.
Examples of Duties
- Conduct field surveys for threatened and endangered species across multiple taxa (plants, herpetofauna, birds, mammals, invertebrates, fish), including presence/absence surveys, habitat assessments, and population monitoring; obtain necessary state and federal handling permits.