We are sharing this opportunity with the ATBC community.

The Microbial Ecology and Macroevolution Group in the Department of Biology at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) invites applications for a funded M.S. position beginning in Spring 2027 (kvasir7.github.io).

The student will study how microbes shape the evolution of their animal hosts, working with turtles and amphibians. The project combines summer fieldwork in Panama with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and potentially in the Ecuadorian Amazon at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, with shotgun and long-read metagenomics and computational analysis. Thesis questions will be developed with the PI within the group’s research program.

As the group’s first graduate student, the selected student will receive close, one-on-one mentorship and help shape the lab’s direction. The position includes a graduate assistantship, in-state tuition, a summer stipend and support for fieldwork costs. A B.S. in a biological field is required. Tropical field experience and working knowledge of Spanish are preferred.

Location: Portales, NM, USA, with fieldwork in Panama and possibly Ecuador
Position type: Funded M.S. position (about two years)
Funding: Graduate assistantship of about $11,000 per 9-month academic year plus in-state tuition, a summer stipend of up to $5,000 per field season, and fieldwork costs
Start date: January 2027
Application deadline: Full consideration for applications received by November 2, 2026
Contact: Joseph Madison — joseph.madison@enmu.edu (subject line: “ENMU MS Position”)
For the full position description and to apply: https://kvasir7.github.io/ENMU_MS_ad_2026.pdf