What are the responsibilities and job description for the Temporary Summer Project Assistant position at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies?
TEMPORARY SUMMER PROJECT ASSISTANT
Salary transparency statement
This is a FT Non-Exempt position. The anticipated hiring range for this position is $28 per hour. Hiring offers will be determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Position Summary
The Research on Aquatic Disease lab (RAD Lab) at the Cary Institute in Millbrook, New York is pursuing questions on the drivers and consequences of infectious disease in aquatic ecosystems and needs an hourly summer research assistant to prepare a scientific manuscript. The individual will curate and analyze existing data, develop reproducible code for all data analyses, and will draft a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Essential Responsibilities
The individual will be responsible for: developing reproducible R code that identifies and corrects errors in an existing database; structuring and implementing statistical analyses using Dynamic Energy Budget and Life History frameworks; reading and referencing scientific literature (up to 100 studies) on invertebrate life history and resource dynamics; drafting a manuscript that includes methods, results, and context for the research. The individual will be largely independent, and will communicate weekly (or on an as needed basis) with the PI (Dr. Tara Stewart Merrill) and additional collaborators.
Required Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Ecology, with some training at the PhD level
- Minimum four (4) years of experience working in the program R
- Minimum one (1) published first-author scientific manuscript
- General understanding of Dynamic Energy Budget models and zooplankton ecology
Required Skills
- Advanced statistical approaches including (but not limited to) linear and non-linear mixed effects models, as well as Bayesian techniques
- Ability to manage data and run statistics in the program R
- Strong scientific writing skills
Working Conditions
- This is a temporary non-benefitted position running June 22, 2026 to August 2, 2026
- The standard workweek is 35 hours, Monday through Friday
- Location: Millbrook, New York
Closing Date: June 5, 2026
To Apply:
Visit our website at https://www.caryinstitute.org/about/careers-cary and complete our online job application. Please submit one document that includes a cover letter, resume and the names and full contact information (including e-mail address) for three professional references.
The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, familial status, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.