Antshrike Field Technician

Type: Temporary/Seasonal Position

Website: www.tarwaterlab.com

Salary: $800 per month plus housing, utilities, shared use of vehicle, and flight to Panama

Start date: ~May 20, 2024, some flexibility.

End date: ~August 16, 2024, some flexibility.

Application deadline: March 15th 2024.

Seeking a field technician to work on a project studying competition in the Black-crowned antshrike, (Thamnophilus atrinucha) in Central Panama. Fieldwork will be five days a week and include point counts, territory-mapping, behavioral observations of territory holders, recording songs, resighting color-banded birds, mist netting, and surveying for fledgling productivity. The technician will have the opportunity to aid in a long-term banding effort there and outreach opportunities. Data entry and equipment maintenance will also be required. In this position the technician will work closely with a graduate student, and often coordinate work with other field crews. The technician will be provided field housing in Gamboa, Panama, where they will also have opportunities to attend scientific talks and meet other researchers associated with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Qualifications: This position is ideal for students with undergraduate degrees in the fields of Ecology, Animal Behavior, Evolution, Conservation Biology and Natural Resource Management, or a related field with some field experience. Applicants must be responsible, have attention to detail, attention to safety, good communication skills, and a strong work ethic. The applicant should have enthusiasm for the natural world and fieldwork but be prepared for the inevitably challenging field days where patience and humor are required. This work will be early in the morning, in a remote field setting, with conditions of high humidity, terrain, and many biting insects. Applicants should be comfortable working alone and in a team. While at times challenging it can be extremely rewarding to answer questions about an understudied system.

Candidates must have some experience in one of the following: point counts, behavioral observations, or mist netting of passerine birds. Ideal candidates would have experience in all three, as well as experience conducting research in the tropics. Candidates with experience driving manual transmission in muddy, off-road conditions will be given priority. Proficiency in Spanish and English is ideal. International applicants and underrepresented people in science are encouraged to apply.

To Apply please fill out the following google form including:

1.      a cover letter outlining experience relevant to the position’s responsibilities listed and describing how this position aligns with your personal experiences and goals

2.      curriculum vitae

3.      contact information (email and phone) for 3 references familiar with your fieldwork experience as a single PDF titled with your last name.

Google form: https://forms.gle/36H4kYviYi6VC8f1A

Application deadline: March 15th 2024. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Please email krober41@uwyo.edu with any questions.