Wildlife Biologist/Ornithologist--Saipan

NATURE OF WORK:

This position serves as a professional-level biologist within the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Department of Lands and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). The WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST/ORNITHOLOGIST--SAIPAN will apply advanced biological knowledge to new and existing programs for the informed management and conservation of wildlife and their associated habitats in the CNMI. The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Wildlife Section Supervisor. This biologist will be based on Saipan but will travel frequently to work on other islands.

DUTY STATION:

The duty station is Saipan, CNMI. The CNMI is a United States Commonwealth in Micronesia comprised of 14 islands. With a population of over 43,000, the island of Saipan is the CNMI’s most populous island and serves as the Commonwealth’s capital. It has beautiful beaches, native limestone forest, a hospital, many restaurants, and resorts. Saipan’s revenue is generated through tourism.

PROJECTS:

1.      Endangered Mariana Common Moorhen (Pulattat, Gallinula chloropus guami) population monitoring, nesting ecology, and inter-island movements. This project informs management strategies by using point count surveys, nest cameras, ARUs, and radio telemetry to fill knowledge gaps in Mariana Common Moorhen ecology and population dynamics.

2.      Long-term population monitoring of resident forest birds, resident seabirds, and migratory shore/wading birds. This is one of DFW’s longest running projects. It utilizes a set of point count surveys to estimate population size, trend, and distribution of bird species in the CNMI.

3.      Collaborate with DFW staff monitoring avian populations on other islands and develop remote monitoring methods for avian populations in the CNMI.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.      Lead CNMI avifauna conservation initiatives.

2.      Use a variety of field methods to investigate wildlife populations, including but not limited to point-counts, mist netting, radiotelemetry, and nest monitoring.

3.      Develop and evaluate wildlife and habitat research and monitoring protocols that meet accepted scientific standards.

4.      Provide technical assistance, project updates, and statistical reports to the DFW Director or other government agencies as requested or assigned.

5.      Design and implement applied research and management actions focused on understanding habitat needs of endangered, endemic, and native species.

6.      Provide supervision and guidance to field technicians.

7.      Manage conservation-related projects and report outcomes.

8.      Write grant proposals and required progress and annual reports.

9.      Analyze and interpret data and summarize results in technical reports and scientific publications.

10.  Participate in outreach to the public and other government agencies.

11.  Represent DFW when assigned; address the needs and concerns of diverse stakeholders professionally and diplomatically.

12.  Work long hours including early mornings, evenings, and weekends.

13.  Perform travel as required.

14.  Present results of research at scientific conferences and meetings as requested.

15.  Other duties as assigned.

BENEFITS:

1.      Work with island endemic, threatened, and endangered bird species.

2.      Live and work on a tropical island with beautiful beaches and forest.

3.      Employee health insurance plan through Aetna.

4.      403b retirement plan.

5.      Sick leave accrual of 4h per pay period.

6.      Annual leave accrual of 8h per pay period.

7.      Covered expatriation and repatriation cost of one-way coach-class tickets from point of recruitment to duty station for employee and each authorized dependent.

8.      Fourteen paid holidays per calendar year.

9.      Covered cost for the shipment of household goods not to exceed 3,000 lbs. for an employee with dependents or 1,500 lbs. for an employee without dependents.

REQUIREMENTS:

1.      Candidates from the Mariana Islands are strongly encouraged.

2.      Master’s degree required.

3.      Must have strong background in quantitative techniques for modeling wildlife populations. Experience processing and analyzing acoustic data preferred.

4.      Must have strong writing and communication skills.

5.      Must have three years of experience implementing biological field techniques.

6.      Must have experience working with threatened or endangered birds.

TO APPLY:

Email a single document containing a cover letter and resume to hfandel.cnmi.dfw@gmail.com.