Interested in joining the lab?

Great! Check out the information below to see if we’re recruiting right now.

We’re interested in working with people who like to ask big, interesting questions and design targeted experiments to answer those questions. We particularly welcome new members who are independent, self-motivated, collaborative, and excited to learn. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds: our work thrives on the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people with diverse interests and life experiences.

Right now, you might be a good fit for the lab if you’re interested in the evolution and ecology of host-parasite interactions and are excited about tackling fundamental problems in these fields using diverse approaches, from experimental evolution to field work to theory. Our lab and field work centers on nematodes, both free-living and parasitic, and their symbionts.

Please see below for specific guidance on how to reach out if you’re looking for a position as a graduate student, postdoc, or undergraduate researcher. Also check out our lab expectations and values pages for more information on the type of community we aim to foster in the lab.

open positions

(none at the moment)

Graduate Students

I look forward to hearing from prospective PhD students with strong research backgrounds and an interest in the evolution of species interactions. To start, you can find information about the department, our PhD program, and Charlottesville at the departmental website and the EEB group’s site. We also have a new NSF training program EXPAND and the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship “Reintegrating the Phenotype” for incoming students to support interdisciplinary research, as well as broad career training and an inclusive community, with support from UVA’s PhD+ and a fellowship for entering students. After you’ve checked those out, reach out to me via email – please describe your research experience and interests, attach your CV, and tell me why you’d fit well in my lab and in the EEB group here.

Postdocs

In general: I encourage prospective postdocs whose research interests overlap with those of the lab. I’m excited to host postdoctoral fellows in the lab, so reach out to me via email to brainstorm funding options. USDA, NIH, and NSF are all potential sources of postdoctoral funding in the lab. We may also have positions funded through grants. When you contact me, please attach your CV, describe your research experience and interests, and tell me why you’re specifically interested in joining our lab group.

Undergraduates

We often have opportunities for undergraduates to contribute to research in the lab, both during the academic year and the summer. Depending on what we have going on, there may be positions or projects you can contribute to for research credit. To find out about current positions, email me with a description of who you are, why you’re interested in research, and what specifically appeals to you about our lab. Please include your CV and an unofficial transcript. Look here for helpful advice on how to contact faculty about joining their lab (credit: Britt Koskella). Typically when positions open up, we advertise them in relevant courses and with the Undergraduate Research Network.