Ortiz Lab

The Ortiz Lab at Cal Poly Pomona (www.cpp.edu) is looking for candidates for one Master’s position in the Biological Sciences department that will focus on continuing our existing camera trap transect in eastern Los Angeles County (San Gabriel Valley) which covers 11 cities. This camera trap transect is part of an international network called the Urban Wildlife Information Network (urbanwildlifeinfo.org) that began out of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo. Camera traps are set at 4 times/seasons of the year with a set-up, check mid-month, and pick up at the end of the month. Project direction is open, the design is set, and can be applicable to different topics of interest including species-focused studies, occupancy, land use, urbanization, etc. Previous topics that have been pursued include greenspace characteristics and influence on wildlife communities, human access to wildlife, tick presence and its relation to wildlife and human activity. About Our Research Lab The Ortiz Lab was established in 2020 and conducts research in urban wildlife and conservation education. Our wildlife research primarily utilizes non-invasive techniques to study our wild neighbors’ behavior, population, and habitat use in urban spaces through observational methods like surveys and camera trapping and computer software like GIS. It is important to us for our community members to gain an appreciation and awareness of wildlife and conduct work on research experiences in the classroom, K-12 teacher training, summer camp presentations and more. Each semester we aim to hold one outreach event in our community. Previous events include the Family Bird Festival and P-22 Day. Currently, we have 3 Master’s students, 8 active undergraduate researchers, and many committed volunteers to help achieve our research goals. Our mission is to promote healthy human-wildlife coexistence through engaging and inclusive education, outreach, and research opportunities in our local urban ecosystems for Cal Poly Pomona students and the community. More information about our lab including our ongoing projects and our team can be found at www.janelortiz.com. Desired Qualifications By the start date, candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biology or related major. Prior experience with GIS and camera trapping is preferred but not required. The candidate must be an effective leader and able to work well with others as this is a large project that will require the assistance of undergraduate researchers. The ability to conduct rigorous fieldwork (i.e., hiking uphill with 10+ lbs.) under possible extreme conditions (e.g., heat, insects, dangerous wildlife such as bears and venomous snakes) will be necessary. Excellent communication with advisor, committee, and research team, and time-management skills, a strong work ethic, and attention to detail also are essential. The candidate must also have a valid driver’s license or be able to obtain a valid driver’s license immediately upon starting. Use of a reliable vehicle is required for field work. Compensation Teaching assistantship (for at least 2 years), part-time hourly ($19.50/hr in 1st year), plus other supplements such as grading positions or graduate assistantships which are based upon availability. Work study can also be applied based on your financial aid package. Grants and fellowship opportunities do come up and will be pursued to help supplement financial support. Deadline Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. All inquiries can be sent to Dr. Janel Ortiz (jortiz@cpp.edu). To apply, please send an email with the subject line “MS Position - Urban Wildlife” that includes a single PDF file containing a cover letter, lab application, resume or CV, unofficial transcripts, and contact information for three references. For the lab application, visit www.janelortiz.com, click on People, under Prospective Students, download and complete the application. A start date of late August 2025 and enrollment for the Fall 2025 semester is expected.