Social Science/Humanities Research Associate I - Lemur Biology

Job Posting Title:

Social Science/Humanities Research Associate I - Lemur Biology

----

Hiring Department:

Department of Anthropology

----

Position Open To:

All Applicants

----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

----

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

----

Earliest Start Date:

Sep 01, 2025

----

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2026

----

Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

----

Job Details:

Purpose

The Sifaka Research Project is an individual-based longitudinal study of wild lemurs. Field assistants in Madagascar collect data which need to be curated, cleaned, and analyzed. Regular mandatory reports need to be written to various US and Malagasy agencies as well funders. The purpose of this position is to manage this large amount of data and begin analyzing them for reports and publication. This is a fixed-term 1-year position with opportunity for renewal.

What benefits do I receive with UT?  The university offers an impressive benefits package. For more details on benefits, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards.

For more information about the College of Liberal Arts, please visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/.  

Our college seeks to build a supportive, growth-minded community and cultivate outstanding and courageous leaders. For more information on the college staff leadership academy, please visit:

https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/resources-for-faculty-staff/staff-leadership-academy/.

For more information on college staff professional development, please visit:

https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/larc/Staff+Professional+Development+Fund.

Responsibilities

• Compile datasets (e.g., social behavior, instantaneous focal scan, nearest neighbor, sleep tree, census, phenology) from different sources, identify and correct all errors in the data, and generate clean datasets appropriate for statistical analysis; Update existing datasets as new raw data continuously comes in.
• Create and maintain organizational system for genetic samples, DNA extractions, and genomic data.
• Generate research questions that can be explored with the available data and conduct preliminary analyses; Use molecular laboratory techniques to carry out genetic analyses.
• Manage social media for project
• Liaise with researchers using the Sifaka Research Project database, update Sifaka Research Project information for researchers and research collaboration contracts.
• Write reports to government, granting, and permitting agencies and donors. Grant-writing and publishing in scientific journals.
• Compile field receipts and offer budget and purchasing assistance.
• Train and oversee volunteers.
• Other related functions as assigned

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Biological/Evolutionary Anthropology, Biology, or related field. Experience/knowledge in qualitative and quantitative research methods, molecular laboratory methods, and statistical software. Previous experience conducting research with primates. 

Preferred Qualifications

Skills, abilities and competencies highly preferred include: exceptional writing and communication skills, project management skills, highly organized and detail-oriented disposition, willingness and ability to learn, strong computer literacy, proficiency in Excel and R, ability to work independently and as a member of a team, and strong work ethic. 

Salary

$40,000

Working Conditions

• May work around standard laboratory conditions.
• May work around standard office conditions.
• Repetitive use of keyboard at workstation.
• Repetitive use of laboratory equipment.

Require