Employees will assist with research on the federally endangered dusky gopher frog, Rana sevosa. Duties include:
1. Capturing and caring for gopher frogs and species that interact with gopher frogs (including other amphibians, tortoises, snakes, rodents, fishes, insects, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and plants) in the field and in outdoor and indoor research facilities.
2. Measuring, weighing, marking, and identifying (by species and marking codes) frogs and other experimental animals.
3. Conducting field and laboratory experiments with gopher frogs and other species under the direction of WCU faculty and graduate students.
4. Accurately recording data onto data sheets and subsequently entering the data into computer spread sheets.
5. Constructing and maintaining experimental facilities in the field and laboratory, including field enclosures for frogs, artificial ponds (in cattle watering tanks), aquaria, laboratory cages, and specialized experimental apparatuses.
6. Operating U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WCU, and private vehicles for travel to research sites.
7. Summarizing research data into tables, figures, and narratives, and conducting statistical analyses of these data.
8. Writing reports and giving oral presentations summarizing research activities, results, and data for use by funding and permitting agencies and other interested parties. Contribute to writing publications on research results for scientific journals.

Employees must be able to work independently with minimal supervision at a remote field site in the DeSoto National Forest in southern Mississippi, be extremely meticulous, careful, and responsible, be good with animals, and be willing to work under hot, cold, humid, rainy, or buggy conditions during daytime, nighttime, weekdays, and weekends.

The ideal candidate has at least a B. S. degree in biological sciences and a strong interest and experience in conservation biology, ecology, and herpetology.

Applicants must apply online.



PLEASE COMPLETE ALL AREAS OF THE APPLICATION. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE GIVEN CONSIDERATION IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.



Qualified applicants will be contacted by the department directly if selected for interview.



Please Note: Temporary employees are paid bi-weekly on an hourly basis and do not receive benefits.
Please include a curriculum vitae, a letter of interest, unofficial college transcript, and contact information for three references with your application.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks.

Western Carolina University uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program.
Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.