Positions & News
Project Title: The Spatial-Temporal Activities, Habitat Selection, and Diet of the Understudied,
Species of Greatest Conservation Need, the Western Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus
tergeminus).
Start Date: Preferred M.S. enrollment beginning in January 2026.
Description: I am seeking TWO highly motivated M.S. students interested in herpetology,
spatial ecology, and behavioral ecology to work on a field project involving Western Massasauga
Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus tergeminus). These positions will be advised by Dr. Dylan Maag in the
Department of Life, Earth, and Environmental Sciences at WTAMU. This project will be a
highly collaborative effort requiring both graduate assistants to work simultaneously and with
summer field technicians on all aspects of field data collection. Students will then focus
separately on the analysis of spatial ecology and hunting behavior/diet, while working together
on habitat selection for their theses, manuscripts, and project reports.
S. tergeminus is currently a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Texas and is native to
Texas grasslands (one of the most endangered habitats in TX). This project is funded by the
Texas Office of the Comptroller through their Endangered Species Management Research.
Students will use a combination of mark-recapture, radiotelemetry, animal-borne accelerometry,
field videography, habitat sampling, and diet analysis in the field starting in late spring 2026 to
early fall 2028 to achieve the following objectives: 1) Obtain basic demographic statistics for the
population of S. tergeminus. 2) Estimate the spatial ecology of adult S. tergeminus. 3) Quantify
diel and seasonal activity, and species-typical behaviors of adult snakes. 4) Model S. tergeminus
habitat selection at multiple scales. 5) Measure critical spatial, temporal, selection, and social
variables associated with overwintering. 6) Estimate and measure the snakes’ diets and hunting
behaviors.
Prospective students should be comfortable working alone and in teams in the field and will be
expected to mentor research technicians and undergraduate volunteers throughout the project.
Students should also be comfortable with being trained to safety handle venomous snakes with
the goal of them handling the snakes themselves. Students should also expect to regularly
interact with both TX state biologists and managers, and private landowners throughout the
project.
Qualifications: B.S. in Biology, Wildlife Biology, Zoology, or a related field is required.
Students must meet the qualifications of WTAMU’s graduate program for MS, Biology,
https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/college-agriculture-natural-sciences/department-life-earth-
environmental-sciences/programs/graduate/biology-graduate-program.html (3.0 GPA in all
undergraduate related science courses, etc.). Students must also possess a valid Driver’s License.
Experience handling venomous snakes is NOT required but is preferred. Students must be
willing to be trained to safely handle venomous snakes and demonstrate proficiency in doing so.
Experience working within the R coding language, GIS programs, and radiotelemetry are
preferred but not required. Lastly, this project is set to last for 38 months thus, students must be
prepared to devote 2.5–3 years towards this project and their MS degree at WTAMU.
Compensation: These are fully funded graduate research assistant positions (i.e., no teaching)
that comes with a stipend of $26,159–27,794 per year for 6 consecutive semesters, starting in
Spring 2026. WTAMU graduate assistants also qualify for a partial tuition waiver and medical
insurance coverage. For more information please visit WTAMU’s LEES department webpage,
https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/college-agriculture-natural-sciences/department-life-earth-
environmental-sciences/index.html, and WTAMU’s Graduate School webpage,
https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/graduate-school/index.html.
How to Apply: Interested applicants should submit a single PDF document, which includes the
following: 1) A letter of interest. 2) CV . 3) A copy of unofficial transcripts. 4) Contact
information for three academic/professional references. Applications should be sent to Dr. Dylan
Maag at [email protected] and include “M.S. MASSASAUGA APPLICATION” in the subject
line.
Applications will be reviewed starting on August 4th, 2025 applications submitted after that
deadline will be reviewed as first-come-first-served basis until both positions are filled.
Interviews (via Zoom or phone) of the short-listed applicants will begin within 2 weeks after the
deadline of August 4th, 2025.
