Description

We are recruiting one graduate student (Ph.D. or M.S., depending on qualifications) as a National Graduate Research Trainee (NRT) funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to research pollinator services to both native and crop species. High preference will be given to individuals interested in work involving both native plants and crop species relevant to the U.S. Northern Great Plains region, as well as to those interested or experienced in nocturnal pollinators. The fellowship will be awarded to an incoming student pursuing an on-campus doctoral or master's degree within the Department of Earth System Science and Policy (ESSP) at the University of North Dakota (UND). The selected NRT fellow to work on this specific project will be jointly advised by the ESSP and the USDA ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory station in Montana.

The selected NRT fellow will receive training in:

• marketable skills, including insect sampling, processing, and identification
• conducting research projects with application to agricultural and natural systems
• quantitative and analytical skills through programming and other advanced technologies
• professional skills such as presenting research findings at conferences and through publications. 

NRT fellow Students can expect freedom to pursue research questions of their own interest within region-relevant crop and native/invasive plant pollination ecology, under the guidance of the graduate committee.

The positions are expected to start as early as in summer 2026 for 4 years for the on-campus Ph.D. student and 2 years for the on-campus M.S. student. The NRT fellowship will cover full tuition for the degree program and a $37,000 lump-sum stipend upon successful completion of the MS thesis or Ph.D. dissertation proposal exams. To receive NRT stipend support and a tuition waiver, NRT fellow applicants must be U.S. citizens.

The UND NRT program aims to advance interdisciplinary research and training by strengthening research collaboration with various partners, including federal, regional, and state government agencies, industries, research institutes, and Tribal research institutes. The main research theme of the UND NRT program is to train next generation resource managers with converging technologies for sustainable uses of water and land. The NRT program emphasizes the importance of understanding foundational science and mastering a combination of advanced technologies, including both physical/technical (“hard”) skills, and interpersonal (“soft”) skills, to prepare the next generation of resource managers to meet societal responsibilities and advance their individual career development.

Requirements

The required qualifications for the candidate to work on this project are: 

• having demonstrated interest in pollination ecology;
• having experience in insect sampling (especially pollinating insects) and proven ability to develop research questions, methodologies, and publish scientific reports (required for the PhD candidate)
• willingness to work in remote or rural areas, including at night for nighttime pollinator surveys, in crop fields and grasslands, which may involve insect bites, wildlife encounters, intense sun, and varying temperatures
• having ability to communicate effectively with landowners and land managers and to build strong partnerships
• possession of a valid driver’s license and comfort with driving long distances to sampling sites in rural locations. 

The preferred qualifications include: 

• Insect (primarily bees, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles, etc.) and plant identification experience (primarily native forbs and shrubs)
• Experience with insect sampling methods, working in field settings, and/or in crop yield, seed quality, pollination studies
• Familiarity with Northern Great Plains environments and agriculture.

Please send your cover letter, CV, and reference list directly to Dr. Zheng for initial evaluation. The selected candidates will be invited for a virtual interview with the partners.

To be eligible for our graduate program, applicants must meet the minimum academic requirements. Please refer to the UND’s graduate school website for further information. More details about the Ph.D. degree in Earth System Science and Policy or Master degrees offered by ESSP, please refer to the UND ESSP website.