The Carey Lab is recruiting a Ph.D. student in freshwater ecosystem and data science!

The Carey Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech is recruiting a graduate student working at the intersection of freshwater ecosystem science and data science to start at the Ph.D. level in August 2026. We seek an enthusiastic and self-motivated student who can work independently while participating in a fun and highly collaborative lab environment, and encourage interested students to read through our Mission Statement, Code of Conduct, and other lab resources posted on our website to learn more about our group.

We are recruiting a Ph.D. student interested in measuring, modeling, and forecasting how reservoir water quality is changing. Research areas could include phytoplankton dynamics and/or carbon biogeochemistry. This project involves field sampling with other graduate students and undergraduate assistants as part of a long-term freshwater monitoring program; and co-developing water quality models and forecasts with managers and the public to guide decision-making.

The Ph.D. student would work with our interdisciplinary, highly-collaborative team in the Center for Ecosystem Forecasting at Virginia Tech; the position includes opportunities for co-advising and environmental modeling and data science training with Quinn Thomas. Throughout their dissertation, the student would work closely with managers, educators, and the public at our focal reservoir sites in Virginia and other waterbodies.

Successful applicants will: be excited to dig into the mysteries of lake and reservoir water quality; have research and scientific writing experience through previous employment and/or education; enjoy liaising with managers and the public; and be excited to join a collaborative team. Candidates who are enthusiastic about expanding their quantitative skillset are especially encouraged to apply.

The Carey Lab is committed to upholding and supporting Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community. Our lab actively uses best practices from the science of team science to enable our collaborative work in a supportive environment and inspire each other to grow as leaders, educators, and innovators. We welcome applications from candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

The Carey Lab is part of the Virginia Tech Stream Team, an internationally-recognized group of faculty and students studying the ecology of aquatic habitats. This vibrant research group provides an ideal environment for conducting graduate work within an interactive and supportive community of freshwater and ecosystem scientists (https://vtstreamteam.weebly.com). Other opportunities for students in the Carey Lab include participating in the Virginia Tech Interfaces of Global Change graduate training program (https://www.globalchange.vt.edu/igc/) and Center for Communicating Science (https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu).

The position is supported by National Science Foundation grants and will be funded on a combination of research and teaching assistantships, which include a competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits. Our Ph.D. program guarantees five years of funding, including summers.

Interested students should send an email letter of inquiry to Cayelan (cayelan @ vt.edu). Please include: 1) an overview of your research interests, 2) a short description of why you are interested in joining our specific lab, 3) your C.V. or résumé, 4) an unofficial transcript, and 5) contact info for three references. Please feel free to contact me (Cayelan) with questions about the application process, graduate school at Virginia Tech, or potential research opportunities. I encourage students interested in applying for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (https://www.nsfgrfp.org) to contact me before October 1 so that I can assist with your application.

Timeline: I generally interview prospective students who email me that are well-aligned with the lab group and available funding via video teleconferences throughout September-November and then will invite competitive applicants to submit their materials for a December 1 admission deadline. If possible, I encourage you to email me by November 1. We no longer require GRE scores as part of our application process. Virginia Tech’s Department of Biological Sciences application requirements, deadlines, and guidelines can be found at: www.biol.vt.edu/Graduates/how_to_apply.html.

 

Interested in postdoctoral opportunities?

At this time, I do not have any available postdoctoral funding but will advertise broadly when I do so. In the meantime, if you are interested in our lab as a potential postdoctoral home, I encourage you to contact me to discuss working together on applications for NSF EARS fellowships, NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biology, Smith Fellowships, or NEON Fellowships.