Avian Field Technician - Point Counts - 5 Positions - Southern Great Plains (Traveling)

Title: Avian Field Technician - Point Counts - 5 Positions - Southern Great Plains (Traveling)

Location: Traveling continuously through the Texas Panhandle, Western Oklahoma, Western Kansas, and the Nebraska Panhandle

Pay rate: $17.50 - $20 hourly, plus overtime pay & reimbursement for project-related travel and camping/lodging

Dates: ~April 16-June 30, 2024

Position Overview:
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!

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. 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)

Responsibilities: 

• Conduct point counts each morning, then drive to a new survey location each afternoon
• Work a variable schedule including long days in the field
• Hike long distances off trail in rolling terrain on a regular basis
• Travel continuously for the entire season while car camping daily, often without cell service or facilities (occasional hotels provided)
• 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 with some flexibility to adjust schedule to accommodate weather and personal needs
• Most field days will begin before dawn and end in the mid afternoon

Equipment: You’ll need to provide your own binoculars, laptop computer (with working battery), as well as car camping gear. You may drive your own 4WD/AWD vehicle (with reimbursement for work-related mileage) or we’ll provide a rental vehicle (with cost of gas reimbursement)

Required qualifications:

• Ability to identify all bird species by sight/sound that regularly breed in the study area
• 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 including rattlesnakes, black widow spiders, and brown recluse spiders
• Ability to hike off trail in variable terrain
• You don’t mind solitude and are independent, organized, responsible, and trustworthy
• You have a driver’s license, proof of insurance, and experience driving 4WD vehicles
• Must pass a background check and DMV screening

Desired additional experience:

• Experience 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:
Upload your cover letter, resume, and three references as a single PDF document named “Last Name First Name IMBCR Technician” at this form: birdconservancy.org/imbcr-hiring. Please include in your cover letter how you meet the qualifications (especially bird ID) and why you’re interested in the position. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and positions will be filled as suitable applicants are found. If you have questions, email IMBCRhiring@birdconservancy.org.

Bird Conservancy is hiring for similar positions in several study areas including the Northern Great Plains (NE, SD, ND), Southwest (AZ, NM), Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. See birdconservancy.org/careers for job posting for each study area. You can apply for multiple positions with a single application. 

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

More Info: 

Visit the IMBCR Webpage (birdconservancy.org/imbcr) or check out these blog posts from previous technicians: 

birdconservancy.org/off-the-beaten-track

birdconservancy.org/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-field-technician/

birdconservancy.org/six-seasons-of-birds-prairies/

birdconservancy.org/the-brand-of-birdsong/

2024 IMBCR Field Tech - Southern Great Plains.pdf