Wildlife Biologist for Seabird Project

Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation

Job Announcement

This is not a state position

Job Title: WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST FOR SEABIRD PROJECT

Wage: Range $30.00 to $34.00 per hour depending on experience and education. This is a full-time

position. Position will include a competitive benefits package including group health, dental, and vision,

as well as retirement contributions after required time in the position.

Project Name: Common Murre Restoration Project

Supervisor: Richard Golightly Ph.D.

Background and duties: The Common Murre Restoration Project is hiring a Wildlife Biologist to work on

a seabird restoration and monitoring project for Common Murres and other seabirds along the central

California coast. This project is conducted cooperatively by Cal Poly Humboldt and the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex). The purpose of the restoration

project is to aid in restoring Common Murre colonies that have suffered damages from oil spills, human

disturbance, and other anthropogenic factors. Aspects of the project include seabird colony disturbance

monitoring, seabird colony censuses and reproductive performance monitoring, data management

(including maintenance of MS Access databases), data analyses, production of reports and publications,

public outreach, and aerial surveys of seabird colonies. Field work is conducted largely from mainland

vantage points viewing seabirds through spotting scopes for several hours a day. Successful applicants

must be willing to work long hours when circumstances require, on weekends, and in inclement

weather, and travel when necessary to field sites. This position will be located at the San Francisco Bay

National Wildlife Refuge Complex headquarters in Fremont, California, but occasional overnight travel is

required to visit various field sites. Specific responsibilities include:

• Conducts studies of Common Murres and other seabirds throughout the central California

coastal region. Duties include implementation of study design, data analysis and interpretation,

writing results suitable to meet reporting requirements and for publication in a scientific journal,

training and oversight of up to 9 field or office staff and volunteers, and coordinating with

partners.

• Assists the Principal Investigators with administering the project, including budget tracking,

purchasing, supplies and property management, contracting activities, permit acquisition and

reporting, staff payroll, and other administrative responsibilities.

• Designs and ensures completion of censuses/surveys and studies of colonial seabirds, to include

proper collection, tabulation, and analysis of data, including data on species such as the

Common Murre, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Western Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Black

Oystercatcher, and other species. Census/survey methods include ground and aerial techniques,

and the applicant must be able to participate in these activities (including completing applicable

training).

• Designs, conducts, and evaluates management practices on Common Murres and other

seabirds, including restoration/enhancement projects. Prepares recommendations for the

Principal Investigators.

• Maintains Microsoft Access databases, including updating databases as necessary. Trains and

oversees project staff on database entry and queries. Knowledge of SQL, VBA, queries, and data

importation are assets.

• Prepares reports and presentations, including an annual project report and other technical

reports, study plans, seabird disturbance reports, permit applications, permit reports, literature

searches, and other correspondence.

• Writes scientific papers, including manuscripts for peer-reviewed wildlife journal publications.

• Maintains and organizes project equipment, including binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods,

cameras, and vehicles.

• Assists the Principal Investigators with issues concerning seabird conservation as needed,

including human disturbance and predation, among others.

• May perform a variety of other duties as assigned to include items such as: attending meetings

representing the project, preparing briefing presentations for Principal Investigators or oversight

Trustee Council, conducting tours for agency staff or the public, developing the biological

aspects of interpretive media, public outreach, and directing other project staff in projects of a

biological nature.

• Operates federal government and university/rental vehicles. A current driver’s license and good

driving record is required.

• This position will require a background investigation by both the University and the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service.

Preference may be given to applicants with prior applicable field experience with seabirds or other

similar wildlife monitoring or census techniques. Additional evaluation may be based on the

demonstrable evidence of the applicant’s knowledge and experience with computer use, databases,

statistical analyses, report preparation, administrative processes, and supervisory skills.

COVID-19: Due to the ongoing global pandemic we have implemented procedures for conducting work

by staff of the Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation related to the Common Murre

Restoration Project (hereafter, Project). These are intended to minimize risk of exposure and

transmission of novel coronavirus COVID-19 and enhance safety for staff of the Project. Employees of

the Project will be required to review and be familiar with the Project’s protocols, the current health

orders from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), State of California, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the

relevant county orders, and any other applicable health ordinances. These procedures include, but are

not limited to, social distancing, appropriate hygiene, and wearing face coverings as appropriate. COVID-

19 testing and/or a COVID-19 vaccine will be strongly encouraged. The applicant will also need to

conduct themselves consistent with requirements of Project partners when at their sites (e.g., U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, San Mateo County Parks, etc.).

Minimum Qualifications: 1) Master’s or Ph.D. degree (applicants nearing completion of the degree may

be considered) in wildlife, biological sciences, or closely related discipline with an interest in wildlife

biology, restoration, or behavior (a bachelor’s degree in the appropriate discipline may be considered IF

the applicant also has multiple years of experience including project administration and leadership in a

similar position post-graduation; applicants asking for this consideration must specifically address in

their cover letter or other supplemental submission why they believe that their experience can be

substituted in lieu of a graduate degree); 2) current driver’s license with a good driving record; 3) ability

to sufficiently move and lift equipment up to 50 lbs; 4) ability to regularly hike up to 3 miles in

steep/narrow/uneven terrain while carrying up to 50 lbs of gear; 5) ability to work at the tops of high,

steep cliffs; 6) ability to census and monitor seabirds for up to several hours a day through spotting

scopes; 6) demonstrable evidence of good supervisory skills; and 7) successful completion of

background investigations.

Preferred Qualifications: Applicants should describe relevant experience, including 1) seabird colony

monitoring, 2) collecting and managing observational data using spotting scopes, 3) managing and

merging data in Microsoft Access databases, 4) using SQL and/or VBA in Access, 5) collating and writing

up data in annual reports, 6) data analysis, 7) protocol evaluation and updates, 😎 management and

coordination of field monitoring projects, especially focusing on seabird colonies, 9) budget, vehicle, and

staff administration, 10) hiring, and 11) tracking and monitoring human disturbance to coastal wildlife.

Qualified applicants should submit the following items via email to Richard Golightly at

Richard.Golightly@humboldt.edu

1) A SIGNED cover letter, which includes the exact job title: Wildlife Biologist

2) Résumé

3) Names, affiliations, and phone numbers of three professional references

4) Completed and signed Employee Information Form https://powerforms.docusign.net/8b66577f-

ec4d-4383-bf26-8fbfe1b7d4c6?env=na3&acct=426c5ce4-817b-417a-a4f8-

5b9e24a71e0f&accountId=426c5ce4-817b-417a-a4f8-5b9e24a71e0f

For questions concerning this position please contact Richard Golightly at

Richard.Golightly@humboldt.edu.

Closing Date: Applications must be received by 5pm (PST) on February 1, 2023 and be

complete at that time to receive full consideration. Completed applications that arrive after this

date may or may not be considered.

Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action

Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,

color, religion, age, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability,

protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected status.

More information about Cal Poly Humboldt SPF’s Equal Employment Opportunity hiring can be found

here: https://research.humboldt.edu/employment/hiring

For assistance with the application process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form, which can

be found here(https://forms.humboldt.edu/spf-accomodation-request-form) or contact ADA

Coordinator at 707.826.3626 or confidential fax at 707.826.3625. For more information regarding

accommodation, you may also visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Human Resources website at

https://hraps.humboldt.edu/reasonable-accommodation. Individuals in need of a telecommunications

relay service may contact the California Relay Service at 877.735.2929 TTY.