Call for Applications – PhD Project: Behavior and demography of white-tailed deer in urban environments

Project description: White-tailed deer can be abundant in southern Quebec, Canada. In urban and peri-urban environments, deer use nature parks, and high population densities lead to negative impacts on vegetation and biodiversity. A tracking program was implemented to monitor deer movements in the Montreal metropolitan area. The data will be used to quantify habitat selection, movement rates, habitat connectivity in southern Quebec, and a better understanding of urban white-tailed deer populations demography. Additionally, white-tailed deer are reproductive hosts for the black-legged tick, and the PhD candidate will help improve models of tick dispersal and tick-borne disease risks. This PhD project combines rigorous theoretical and quantitative approaches while focusing on tangible and local benefits for white-tailed deer management. The project is part of PARCS en Santé.

Candidate requirements:

  • Hold a Master’s degree (MSc or Canadian equivalent) in biology, ecology, bioinformatics or related field
  • Have an excellent academic record
  • Demonstrate initiative and a high level of autonomy
  • Strong oral and written communication skills to collaborate with PARCS en Santé partners and willingness to learn French
  • Skills in programming, quantitative analysis, and spatial analysis
  • Be the first author of a peer-reviewed scientific publication
  • Field experience is an asset

Start Date: September 2025

Location: Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)

Supervision: Martin Leclerc (supervisor, UQAC), Maxime Lavoie (Co-supervisor, MELCCFP)

Funding: The project includes a scholarship of $25,000 CAD per year for 3 years. The selected candidate will be encouraged to apply for additional funding from FRQNT and NSERC.

How to Apply: Send a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and the names and contact information of two references to: Martin_Leclerc@uqac.ca

Application review will begin on March 14, 2025, and will continue until a candidate is selected. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.