Avian Field Technician - Point Counts - 3 Positions - Southern Great Plains

Title: Avian Field Technician - Point Counts - 4 Positions - Southern Great Plains

Location: Traveling through TX, OK, KS, NE

Compensation: $18.48-19.68/hr base rate (non-exempt, overtime eligible). Reimbursement for project-related travel and camping/lodging will also be provided.

Description

Experience a season of adventure counting birds every morning with the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program! You’ll travel north with the spring through the western portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Surveys occur mostly on private land in a variety of habitats including mesquite bosques, prairies, and riparian systems. You’ll get to observe an impressive variety of species as you move across the study area, including Painted Bunting, Cactus Wren, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Burrowing Owl, Mississippi Kite, Scaled Quail, and Lesser Prairie-Chicken. This position will have you birding every day during the height of spring migration in the fantastic Great Plains flyway!

Project Dates: ~ April 18 - June 30, 2023

Training: The first week of the field season will be an intensive group training session covering bird identification, point count & vegetation data protocols, GPS navigation, and data entry. You must pass a bird identification quiz at the end of training.

Responsibilities: 

• After training, you’ll work and travel solo for the duration of the season (with opportunities to meet up with the crew every few weeks)
• Conduct point counts each morning, then drive to a new survey location each afternoon
• Hike long distances off trail and car camp daily, often without cell service or facilities
• Give a courtesy call to landowners prior to surveying on private property
• Enter data, update timesheets and worklogs, and research how you’ll access survey locations
• Check in frequently with your Crew Leader and be available by email/phone

Schedule: 

• Work ~ 40-45 hrs per week (overtime pay after 40 hrs)
• 10 days on//4 days off or 5 days on//2 days off (depending on your preference and weather)
• Most field days will begin before dawn and end in the early afternoon
• Equipment: You’ll need to provide your own binoculars, laptop computer (with working battery), and camping gear. You may drive your own 4WD/AWD vehicle (and receive mileage reimbursement) or we’ll provide a rental vehicle (with cost of gas reimbursement)

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• Ability to identify all bird species by sight/sound in the southwestern Great Plains
• You’re enthusiastic, physically fit, enjoy travel, and can work long hours in the field
• Willing to wake up before dawn, face hot/cold/rainy/windy weather, and encounter hazardous wildlife like rattlesnakes
• You don’t mind solitude and are independent, organized, and responsible
• You have a driver’s license, proof of insurance, and experience driving 4WD vehicles
• Must pass a background and DMV screening and comply with the organization's current COVID 19 policy

Desired additional experience:

• Experience camping, long distance hiking, and navigating off-trail
• Prior field work experience, especially conducting avian point counts
• Experience using a GPS and navigation apps (such as Avenza, GAIA, onX, or Caltopo)
• A 4WD/AWD personal vehicle is highly desirable but not strictly required

To Apply:

Bird Conservancy is hiring for similar positions in several study areas including the Northern Great Plainsand Wyoming (see https://www.birdconservancy.org/careers). You can apply for multiple positions with a single application.

Email a cover letter, resume, and three references as a single PDF document to: IMBCRhiring@birdconservancy.org with “Last Name First Name IMBCR Technician” in the subject line and document file name. Please include in your cover letter:

• How you meet the qualifications (especially bird ID)
• Why you’re interested
• Which study areas you’d like to be considered for
• Where you saw the job posting

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and positions will be filled as suitable applicants are found. Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

More Info: Visit the IMBCR Webpage or check out this blog post from a previous technician.