Post Baccalaureate Research Assistant

About the role

The Mozdzer lab at Bryn Mawr College, located in suburban Philadelphia, is searching for a term limited post-baccalaureate research assistant position to begin on or about August 3, 2026. The initial appointment for this grant-funded position is 9 months, with the possibility of an additional 9-month appointment, pending satisfactory performance, and available funding.

Responsibilities

• Conduct decomposition experiments on plant tissue from an established common garden.
• Maintain a collection of plants in a large-scale common garden.
• Conduct measurements on plant traits in the large-scale common garden.
• Collect, organize, and analyze experimental data using appropriate quantitative and computational methods.
• Prepare data, figures, and documentation for manuscripts, presentations, and publication.
• Auxiliary with day-to-day operations of the laboratory and common garden, including maintaining inventories, ordering supplies, and ensuring well-organized lab environments.
• Perform routine plant care and ensure compliance with laboratory and institutional protocols.
• Maintain detailed and accurate experimental records and lab notebooks.
• Collaborate with the principal investigator and other lab members on ongoing research projects.
• Mentor and provide guidance to undergraduate research assistants, including training in experimental techniques and best lab practices.
• Participate in lab meetings and contribute to discussions on experimental designs, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• BS or BA in Biology, Ecology, or a related field.
• Prior laboratory experience in a research setting.
• Successful completion of satisfactory background checks.
• A valid US driver’s license with acceptable driving record to operate Bryn Mawr College vehicles.
• Capability to engage in rigorous and extended outdoor activity (e.g., lifting, bending, kneeling, walking, carrying/moving heavy equipment and plants).
• Ability to walk across campus several times per day, work outdoors (at times in inclement weather and exposed to standard outdoor hazards, e.g. insects, ticks, poison ivy, etc.), while performing tasks on uneven terrain.

Qualifications

• Data analysis and basic programming experience (e.g., R).
• Experience in measuring leaf level photosynthetic rates using a LI-COR LI-6800.
• Experience preparing samples for elemental analysis, and/or experience running an elemental analyzer, and/or the ability to learn.
• Experience measuring plant functional traits.
• Experience maintaining a common garden.
• Demonstrated skills in data organization, analysis, and report writing preferred.