Bridgewater State University (Massachusetts) is offering a funded two-year M.S. Graduate Assistantship in Urban Wildlife Ecology, backed by NSF funding. Start date: January 2027. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Overview

A funded Master of Science Graduate Assistantship is available in the Surasinghe Lab at Bridgewater State University (BSU), Massachusetts, part of an NSF-funded research project investigating urban wildlife ecology, tick-borne disease risk, and host-vector interactions across southeastern Massachusetts.

This is a two-year, paid research position for a student who wants to develop real field and analytical skills in ecology, working alongside collaborators from Columbia, Boston, Tufts, and the Universities of Sussex and Bath.

Application review begins: Early October 2026
Deadline: November 30, 2026
Start date: January 2027 (through December 2028)

What You’ll Research

Your M.S. thesis will focus on urban wildlife ecology, specifically how urbanisation shapes wildlife occurrence, habitat use, and community patterns across urban and peri-urban landscapes in the Greater Boston region.

The project uses:

• Camera-trap and acoustic monitoring (ARU/audiomoth) data
• Environmental and landscape covariates
• Quantitative ecological models in R
• GIS and spatial data analysis

You’ll also contribute to the broader NSF project by integrating wildlife monitoring data with tick, landscape, and disease-risk datasets — giving your thesis real cross-disciplinary depth.

Practical Responsibilities

• Fieldwork in Greater Boston (trail cameras, acoustic recorders, data collection)
• Camera image processing and data quality control
• GIS and spatial data preparation
• Statistical modelling in R
• Mentoring undergraduates in the lab
• Thesis writing, manuscripts, and conference presentations

Who Should Apply?

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology, urban ecology, quantitative ecology, landscape ecology, or a related field
• At least 1 year of relevant experience
• Reliable, organised, comfortable with fieldwork in variable weather conditions

Desirable:

• Experience with camera traps, ARUs, GIS, R, or statistical modelling
• Interest in building both field and analytical skills

How to Apply

Send a single PDF to Dr. Thilina Surasinghe at tsurasinghe@bridgew.edu containing:

• Brief statement of interest — research interests, relevant experience, career goals
• CV
• Unofficial transcripts
• Contact information for 2–3 references

Contact Dr. Surasinghe before submitting a formal BSU Biology M.S. programme application. Emailing first is strongly encouraged.

More details: sites.google.com/bridgew.edu/surasinghejobs/home

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