Lake Champlain Microbial Ecology and Bioinformatics SRA (Summer 2026 900572)

This is position is paying $15.20 per hour.

This summer research assistant will work to analyze microbial amplicon, metagenomic, and viromic datasets. This will include dataset QA/QC, descriptive statistics, differential analysis, and working to elucidate meaninful descriptions of microbial communities across three Lake Champlain sites and similarities and differences across sites and between seasons

Core Responsibilities:

• Utilize R and high performance computing resources for data analysis.
• Keep detailed records and descriptive code to contribute to data analysis pipeline SOPs.
• Complete data visualizations of microbial community data toward 1-2 manuscripts for publication.
• Gain biological understanding of Lake Champlain microbial communities, and how they relate to site and seasonal differences

Requirements

• Proficient in manipulating data using R and/or Python

• Have taken one or more of these courses, or their equivalent, BIOL 211, STAT 116, STAT 118, STAT 201, CSCI 321
• Ideally have taken BIOL 140 and/or BIOL 145, but not required.
• Self-motivated and organized, good at managing self-directed schedule.
• Can work remotely, on campus, or a mix of both, for ~40hrs/wk for 8-10 weeks summer 2026

Student Employment Eligibility:

Unless restricted by certain visa status, all students with an active status for the semester are eligible for jobs on campus.

Students on leave or withdrawn are not eligible to work in student employment positions until the semester in which they return. If you are currently withdrawn or on leave you are eligible to be employed in staff positions.

Some may be restricted due to financial aid status. International students (non-resident aliens) may not work off campus unless they have applied for and received work authorization from the United States government. (An F-1 visa does not give work authorization.) Off campus work study positions are available only to U.S. citizens on financial aid with a federal work study component.

Student are not eligible to work remotely from International locations.

Hour Limitations:

All student employees are limited to working no more than 20 hours per week in on campus jobs during the academic year (this includes exam periods). The only exception is when there is a full week when school is not in session. Specifically: February recess, Spring recess, and full weeks of December or summer recess. During these time periods only, students can work up to 40 hours per week. International Students: Visa restrictions prohibit international students from exceeding 20 hours of work per academic calendar week.