PhD Research Assistant – Conservation Psychology & Private Lands Conservation

Hiring Organization: Texas A&M University
Employment type: Full-Time
Job Location: College Station, TX
Application Due Date: December 1, 2025

Position Title: PhD Research Assistantship
Location: College Station, TX
Department: Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management (RWFM), Texas A&M University
Supervisor: Gerard T. Kyle, Professor & Associate Department Head (gkyle@tamu.edu)
Duration: Commence Fall of 2026. Renewable for up to 60 months based on performance and funding.
Compensation: Graduate Assistantship or Fellowship; $24K per annum, includes coverage of tuition/fees/health.

Position Overview

This position supports interdisciplinary research at the intersection of conservation psychology and private lands conservation in Texas. The PhD student will contribute to applied research, stakeholder engagement, and policy development aimed at enhancing conservation outcomes on privately owned rangelands and wildlife habitats across the state and nation.

Research Themes

The student will engage in research aligned with the following themes:

Landowner Decision-Making and Risk Perception

Investigating how private landowners perceive conservation risks and benefits, and how these perceptions influence land-use decisions.

Ecosystem Services and Spatial Mapping

Integrating participatory GIS and spatial ecology to map conservation value and conversion risk across Texas working lands.

Community Resilience and Climate Adaptation

Developing tools that combine ecological data with community narratives to enhance resilience to coastal flooding along the Texas Coastal Bend.

Conservation Finance and Policy Instruments

Explore the role of tax incentives, easements, and market-based tools in motivating conservation action.

Behavioral Interventions

Apply psychological models (e.g., NAM, VBN, Identity & Norm-based) to design interventions that promote pro-environmental behavior.

Stakeholder Engagement and Translational Science

Facilitate workshops and co-production of knowledge with landowners, agencies, and NGOs to support conservation planning.

Key Responsibilities

Design and conduct behavioral studies exploring landowner attitudes, motivations, and barriers to conservation participation.
Analyze data using advanced qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., choice modeling, structural equation modeling).
Collaborate with faculty, extension specialists, and external partners (e.g., TPWD, NGOs) to translate findings into actionable outreach strategies.
Contribute to grant writing, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at academic and practitioner conferences.
Mentor undergraduate students and participate in related research activities.

Qualifications

An undergraduate or masters degree (thesis) with a focus on human dimensions, conservation psychology, or environmental social science.
Strong foundation in behavioral theory (e.g., social psychology, environmental psychology, conservation psychology).
Experience with stakeholder interviews, survey design, and policy analysis.
Familiarity with issues impacting private lands conservation in the U.S., wildlife valuation, and conservation finance mechanisms.
Demonstrated excellent communication and writing skills.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted through 12/1/2025. Applicants should submit a cover letter detailing their interest in the opportunity, their research experience related to the program focus, and their curriculum vitae via email to gkyle@tamu.edu.