M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship, Cal Poly Humboldt
Description: A master’s research assistantship is available that will focus on monitoring and studying fishes in rocky reef marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Northern California coast. Within Dr. Andre Buchheister’s lab, the graduate student will assist in continuing long-term hook-and-line fishing surveys of MPAs and paired reference sites in the region, which is part of the state-wide California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP). Fishes are captured, identified, measured, tagged and released, and a subset of the fish are kept for further biological analysis (that could include otolith extraction, ageing, morphometric measurements, gut analysis, genetic analysis, etc.). Pilot work in 2025 also included collection of environmental DNA samples from survey sites. The student will work with advisors to develop a research project that utilizes the survey, builds upon past research, and contributes to our understanding of fish ecology, MPA effectiveness, and environmental drivers of fish populations and communities.
Duties will include:
- Co-leading a scientific crew on sport-fishing vessels that are chartered out of the ports of Eureka, Fort Bragg, and Crescent City, CA (sometimes requiring overnight travel)
- Participate in all aspects of hook-and-line sampling in Marine Protected Areas and nearby reference sites, including hook & line fishing, fish identification, measurement, tagging, data recording & curation, volunteer coordinating, and equipment management.
- Process sacrificed fishes (e.g., otolith removal, collection of other biological samples) at the Telonicher Marine Lab in Trinidad, CA
- Collaborate with recreational fishers and NOAA Fisheries to collect additional fish carcasses for data and sample collection.
- Be an enthusiastic ambassador of the project with collaborating anglers, captains, the CCFRP statewide coordinator, and the larger fishing community
- Participate in state-wide CCFRP meetings and collaborative events
- Work with faculty mentors to develop a comprehensive thesis project that leverages the monitoring survey. There is a lot of flexibility in the type of research that can be conducted, but it could involve analysis of catch rates, species/community composition, size, growth, stomach contents & trophic interactions, life history, tagging data, environmental drivers, etc.
- Apply appropriate methods and statistical models to address the research questions
- Write a thesis with the goal of publishing at least one peer-reviewed research article thesis
- Posted: January 14, 2026
- Job Type: MS
- Organization: Cal Poly Humboldt
- Qualifications: Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree (B.S. preferred) in fisheries, natural resources, marine biology, biology, ecology, statistics or related field. Eligibility for admission to the Cal Poly Humboldt M.S. in Natural Resources (see the Natural Resources M.S. admissions information: Natural Resources, M.S. Application Information | Cal Poly Humboldt). But, note that applicants do NOT need to formally apply to the program at this time; only the candidate selected following our review process will need to apply to the Natural Resources graduate program. Preferred Qualifications: Highly motivated and independent, with strong work ethic Experience working on vessels in offshore environments, without getting incapacitated by seasickness Ability and motivation to work long days in challenging ocean conditions while maintaining a positive attitude. Experience with scientific collection of fisheries data and/or experience fishing. Experience organizing, leading, and working with teams (e.g., small field crews of hired technicians, volunteers, and charter boat captains). Demonstrated strengths with scientific writing (e.g., reports, manuscripts) and oral communication (e.g., presentations, professional meetings). Strong quantitative and statistical skills and experience using R, or willingness to learn. The selected student will enroll in the Natural Resources graduate program at Cal Poly Humboldt and work to obtain their M.S. degree within the Fisheries Biology Department. The student would ideally start on or before June 1, 2026 to be able to participate in the summer sampling season (from June - September). The student will receive at least $22,000/year. The student will be advised by Drs. Andre Buchheister and Jose Marin Jarrin, both of whom are faculty in the Department of Fisheries Biology.
- How to apply: Apply to Google Form. Answer the questions and be prepared to submit three files as PDFs: (1) a cover letter that also includes contact information of 3 references appended (name, employer, phone, email), (2) a resume or CV, and (3) your academic transcripts (unofficial are acceptable; official are preferred). If available, applicants should also submit their GRE scores as a fourth file. Files should be named like this: “LastName_FirstName_CoverLetter”, “LastName_FirstName_CV”, “LastName_FirstName_transcripts”. For full consideration, materials must be received by the closing date. Please note that you must have a Google Account (e.g. "gmail" account) to upload files using the online form. Although submission of application materials through the online form is preferred, you may email your application materials directly to andre.buchheister@humboldt.edu instead if necessary.
- Location: Arcata, California
- Web address: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kau7NQGTqANhL0NpFfZH5fFeEhZ6qshLZ5pIm6CP39Q/edit?tab=t.0
Contact Information
Andre Buchheister
andre.buchheister@humboldt.edu