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MANY of the postings under Internships and Jobs
Cal-Wood Education Center in Colorado offers an outdoor course that synthesizes and applies information learned in a classroom context to an authentic, complex, and dynamic environmental setting. Instruction is delivered with direct lecture, hands-on activities, guided exploration, field trips and guest speakers. Students base/tent-camp in a beautiful mountain location, hike daily, and participate in an intensive educational experience. Class size is limited to 16 students so register early to reserve a space. Course 1: June 8-21; Course 2: July 6-19, 2008
Many occupations require a knowledge of the sciences including strong background in biology, chemistry and good computer/math skills as well as a strong ability to communicate effectively. If you have a bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.Sc.) you can expect an entry-level job at the level of technician with advancement limited to lab manager positions. A graduate degree (M.A., M.Sc., M.B.A., Ph.D.) is required for higher paying supervisory jobs and tenured faculty positions.
Employers are looking for people who:
*CAREER PLANNING* - It's never too early to start!
The Office of Career Services is located in 1011 Gannett Center (phone 274-3365 or email at careers@ithaca.edu). The office plans many events throughout the school year and during the breaks to introduce you to possible employers. Take full advantage of "Career Days", "Network Nights", "Graduate School and Professional Fairs" and the "Career and Internship Connection" (see links below). The staff at Career Services are trained to help you define your career goals, write a resume and practice for job interviews. Check out their web site frequently for many useful links to internship and job sites.
Try looking at the following databases: Biology Jobs or Sci Jobs or Science jobs for everything from volunteer work to faculty positions at research institutions. If you want to look at a broad range of possible careers in the field of biology, the website of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology has published an index page entitled Careers in Biology.
Below are links to topic specific sites that outline some of the many careers open to biologists. You can also check the Ithaca College biology/biochemistry graduates page for news of career paths followed by our graduates.
If you come across a site for us to add to our list, please send an email to Kit Muma (muma@ithaca.edu) or stop by her office in CNS 158. Good luck with your search!
Biology Department Seminars
*JOB RESOURCE CENTER* : Register today to stay current with new opportunities and career events.
For more detailed information on graduate school, an article entitled "Helping Students Get Into Graduate School" has been published by B. A. Fischer and M. J. Zigmond in the Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education (June). Fall 2004, Volume 3, Issue 1.
You'll need to narrow down what in what field of biology you are interested. Begin by talking to your professors and take advanced courses and research in those areas. Take as many upper level (300-400) electives as possible. Avoid non-majors courses (1st year non-lab classes for non-science majors). These will not impress potential supervisors in the way that upper level classes in specific fields will.
Ask your professors where they went to school and how they made their decisions to enroll in a specific program. Make sure you tell your Ithaca College professors where you are thinking of applying. You will need to get letters of recommendation from them and the sooner they know your plans the better they can prepare. Don't approach them a week before the application deadline and expect to get a letter. Only ask professors who know you well - ones where you have worked in their lab or with whom you have taken multiple upper-level classes. Give them a current copy of your resume and clearly state to what programs you are applying and what your ultimate career goals are.
For graduate school it is the reputation of the department and not necessarily the overall ranking of the school that is important. Search the web for faculty and lab profiles for labs that are in your field of interest. You can often find good information by scanning the current literature to see who is publishing what. Next go to the departmental web site and look for other faculty working in similar fields. If you feel confident that you are seriously interested in a lab you can contact the faculty member. Be sure to have read some of their papers and clearly express your interest in their research. Some faculty may not respond and some programs place students in a lab after a preliminary year of course work so you will need to find out the details.
Do you have to write the GRE?
The graduate student catalog from each school will tell you about admission requirements, tuition costs, and courses available. It will also give you an idea of a timeline in terms of deadlines for application and for taking the standardized GRE test if required. The GRE general test is a measure of critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills while the GRE subject tests evaluate your knowledge within a specific area such as biology or chemistry. Practice booklets are available on-line through the GRE web site. Check the schedules carefully to make sure that you take the test in time for scores to be sent to prospective graduate schools before the deadlines for application.
Visiting a prospective school:
If you make it through the first level of screening you may be invited on campus for an interview. Expect to go on multiple interviews in the spring of your senior year. Some schools have a prospective graduate student program in February or March where they bring a group of accepted students on campus for a multi-day visit. Check with the Office of Admissions at the school. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and talk to professors and their students. Prepare before you go! Make sure that you can answer questions such as: Why are you interested in research in this field? What research projects have you done? What do you know about the research we do in our lab? Don't let your guard down - you are being interviewed even when the graduate students take you out on the town. Have fun but remain professional to avoid making the wrong impression.
Questions for you to consider:
Is it strictly lab work or is there a field component that might allow you to travel to exotic destinations? Do they have many graduate students or only a few? Is the supervisor near the beginning or end of their career? Sometimes it is not good to be the first graduate student in a lab, sometimes being the last can cause conflicts over deadlines. What sort of funding is available? You may be eligible for a full scholarship and a tuition waiver. Are graduate students allowed to chose their own projects? Is there an option to teach in undergraduate laboratories or to gain lecture experience? This is particularly important if your goal is to go on to become a professor. What is the course load like? What living facilities are available and would you want to live on or off campus?
Field assistant in a study of genetic diversity and natural selection in wall lizards in the south of France. Work will be daily and demanding. Room and board are covered by the CNRS, but the assistant will need to arrange their own travel to Toulouse. Knowledge of the French language is preferable. Please e-mail Brittny Calsbeek with questions; bstarfor@uvm.edu. SUMMER 2008
Volunteers needed as field assistants for the project: Socio-Evolution of small Mammals in the Succulent Karoo of South Africa. Applicants must have an interest in working in the field and with animals. Field assistants are responsible for trapping and marking of mice and rats; radio-tracking to determine home ranges and nest sites; direct behavioral observations in the field; experiments and observations with captive specimen under natural weather conditions; maintenance and cleaning of the research station. Students get a letter of confirmation about their work and can prepare a report of their own small project to get credit points from their university for their bachelor or masters studies. Assistants are needed July to November, and are expected to stay at least 2 months, but longer periods of up to 6 months are preferred. More information under www.stripedmouse.com
Two Conservation Interns, PA Institute for Conservation Education (PICE). Interns will assist with the implementation of the Wildlife Leadership Adventures, a new summer leadership program for high school students. We are specifically seeking highly motivated upper-level college students in biology or education with an interest in the outdoors and high school level education. Period: Late May/early June, 2008. View the announcement here (PDF).
Greenpeace is a semester of advanced training for student activists. It's action-filled and the best hands-on training for students to become environmental leaders. Rising freshmen and sophomores are preferred. Applications being accepted for the fall 2008 semester in Washington, DC and San Francisco.
Volunteer Field Assistants - Birds in Peru - Carry out behavioral observations on color-banded Amazonian birds, mist-netting, nest-searching, data entry. Contact Claire Salisbury (claire.salisbury@zoo.ox.ac.uk)
Summer Internships in biology - New York City, Biomedical, Ecology, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, and summer jobs as compiled by Columbia University http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/intern.html
Cornell Lab of Ornithology - internships in Ithaca at the lab on Sapsucker Woods Road (require about 6 hours per week of commitment) http://www.birds.cornell.edu/About/internships.html
Monte Saino Natural Resource Conservation Center Volunteer Program - Ecuador www.ecociencia.org
MORE Internships:
Research Assistant: Malaria Parasite Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX. The successful candidate will be responsible for culturing malaria parasites in the laboratory, measuring drug resistance, and conducting molecular assays (sequencing, SNP genotyping, microsatellites). Requirements: Bachelors or Master's degree in a biological science or related field. Experience with cell culture and/or molecular biology methodology essential. US based applicants only. Job description and application details are here.
Research Assistant I or II (RA I II JWL). Woods Hole. Wernegreen lab as a full-time research assistant beginning mid summer 2008. The successful applicant will contribute to projects that employ high throughput molecular and computational approaches to study genomics of bacterial endosymbionts. Specific projects examine functional genomics and population dynamics of endosymbionts across ant castes and species, and explore the evolution of gene content and DNA sequence variation in host- associated bacteria.
Laboratory Technician Position, Shared DNA Sequence Facility Manager. A part or full-time research assistant position is available in the Biology Department at Georgetown University, Washington, DC in the laboratory of Dr. Matthew B. Hamilton (http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/hamiltm1/). Individuals who have recently completed an undergraduate degree in biology and are seeking further exposure to scientific research before graduate study are especially encouraged to apply. This position is available on or about July 21, 2008 for one year with continuation contingent on performance and availability of funds. Minimum requirements are a Bachelor's degree and experience in ecology, evolution, genetics or a related field. Previous laboratory experience with molecular genotyping and/or DNA sequencing is preferred. Salary will be commensurate with experience and includes benefits. Please send a resume or CV and cover letter (hamiltm1@georgetown.edu) summarizing research interests and experience as well as three references with full contact information. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Full-time, Faculty Research Assistant, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR. Reappointments are at the discretion of the principal investigator. RESPONSIBILITIES: DNA extraction and microsatellite characterization of Oregon's coastal Chinook and Coho Salmon stocks. Visit the Project CROOS website or contact Renee Bellinger for more information. REQUIREMENTS: BS in genetics, ecology or evolution with emphasis on statistics. At least one year of molecular genetics experience in PCR, DNA extraction. APPLICATION: To review the full position announcement or to apply refer to Posting 0002453, http://oregonstate.edu/jobs. CLOSING DATE: May 5, 2008.
FOUR Field Technician Positions, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Conduct field studies of Golden-winged Warblers from early May – June 30, 2008. Two technicians will travel throughout the northern Appalachians (likely PA, NJ, and southern NY) and two will be stationed around the Fort Drum area in upstate NY. The work will focus on surveying Golden-winged Warblers in a variety of habitats to help understand population trends and habitat requirements for this species of conservation concern. Applicants should be highly motivated, have some experience conducting standardized bird surveys, possess a valid drivers license, and be willing to travel extensively (and possibly camp). A salary/stipend, plus expenses will be provided and likely a field vehicle for the Appalachian positions. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in avian sampling techniques and meet biologists/scientists from academia, state agencies, and conservation organizations. For more information, please contact Sara Barker at 607-254-2465 or sb65@cornell.edu.
Full-time Research Technician, Rockman Lab, New York University. In this new lab, we will be discovering and characterizing the molecular and evolutionary causes of natural phenotypic variation (http://www.princeton.edu/~mrockman). Our primary research organism is C. elegans. Applicants should have molecular biology skills and a willingness to develop new methods as needed. Worm-handling experience is a plus. Preferred start date is May or June, 2008. Please contact Matt Rockman.
Research technician, Department of Biology. Wolbachia are among the most abundant parasitic bacteria on the planet. We are investigating their diversity, molecular evolution and effects on insects. Responsibilities include conducting PCR based molecular genotyping of bacteria and insects collected from around the world, analyzing DNA sequences using computer based genetic methods, assisting with quantitative PCR and RNAi knockdown of host genes involved in interactions with Wolbachia, and routine laboratory duties. Strong organizational skills are required for this position and some experience with PCR and sequence analysis is desired. This position is supervised by the PI and senior Lab Techs. If interested, please contact Rachel Edwards or John Werren.
