Co-op Student Wildlife Technicians

The Canadian Wildlife Service (Prairie Region) within Environment and Climate Change Canada has exciting opportunities for energetic and adventurous individuals desiring a challenging work experience. The Terrestrial Unit of the Canadian Wildlife Service needs motivated candidates for seasonal positions in three streams surveying either waterbirds, grassland birds or boreal birds. Students can submit one application and identify which streams they wish to be considered for in their cover letter.

Work Term: May – August 2024

Salary: $20.80 per hour minimum

Job Descriptions:

Stream 1: Shorebird and Waterbird Monitoring

Successful candidates will work as part of a team surveying for shorebirds and waterbirds in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The majority of the season will be spent in the field in and around rivers, lakes and wetlands. Surveys will be conducted on foot, by truck, small boat, kayak, and fixed-wing airplane. Staff must be able to swim short distances.

Stream 2: Grassland Bird Monitoring

Successful candidates will work as part of a team capturing, banding, and surveying songbirds in some of the largest remaining areas of grasslands in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Our research program focuses on large-scale population monitoring and using the Motus wildlife tracking system to understand the migratory ecology of key grassland specialists. Staff will be in the field for two months from mid-May to mid-July, starting work well before sunrise.

Stream 3: Boreal Bird Monitoring

Successful candidates will work as part of a team conducting wildlife (emphasizing birds) and habitat surveys in the boreal forest of Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba. Staff will spend 2 months (mid May through ~ mid July) in the field. During field work, staff will largely be living in tents or trailers (camping). Travel may include flights in fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, canoeing and/or boating, truck and all-terrain vehicles.

Job Locations:

Stream 1: Office work based in Regina, field work is located in AB, SK, and MB

Stream 2: Office work based in Edmonton, field work is located in AB and SK

Stream 3: Office work based in Edmonton or Saskatoon, field work is located in SK and MB

Transportation, meals, and accommodations (mainly camping with some hotels) will be provided while travelling in the field. Students will be responsible for finding their own accommodations in the city where office work is based for their stream.

Job Duties:

• Learning to identify birds by sight and sound and/or improving these skills
• Hiking off-trail (5-10 km/day) to survey sites in hot prairie, thick brush, wetlands and/or dense forest
• Surveying birds and vegetation in a variety of habitats using a variety of protocols
• Collecting and managing ecological field data
• Organizing and maintaining field equipment

Essential Qualifications for All Streams:

• Enrolled in an approved co-op program at a university or college in a related discipline
• Comfortable working outdoors for long hours, being bitten by insects (e.g. mosquitoes, ticks), and potentially encountering wildlife (e.g. rattlesnakes, deer, bears, moose)
• Able to adapt to changing schedules as field work plans shift often due to unforeseen weather, wildfire or equipment challenges
• Demonstrates integrity and respect and the ability to work effectively with others
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communications skills
• A valid driver’s license

Desired Additional Experience:

Stream 1:

• Experience identifying shorebirds and waterbirds by sight
• Experience with small boats, kayaking, and/or canoeing.
• Experience driving trailers.

Stream 2:

• Experience identifying grassland birds by sight and sound
• Experience using mist nets and banding songbirds

Stream 3:

• Experience identifying boreal birds by sight and sound
• Comfortable working for extended periods in very remote conditions

Particulars:       

• Preference will be given to Canadian citizens (a requirement for all federal government positions), but all applicants with a valid work permit for Canada will also be considered.
• Hours of work are Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 4:30 (full time, 37.5h/week) while in the office. During field work, hours vary and you may be required to work weekends.
• To be considered, students must be registered in an approved co-op program or planning to start a co-op program by the beginning of the summer academic term.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, the last day to apply is January 31, 2024

Please identify which streams you wish to be considered for in your cover letter and email your cover letter, resume and three references in a single word or pdf document to janine.mcmanus@ec.gc.ca.

The Government of Canada seeks to eliminate barriers to hiring members of employment equity groups. We welcome any member of a designated employment equity group to self-declare in your cover letter, or at any point during the appointment process. There are 4 designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities, as identified by the Employment Equity Act.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest, however only those invited for an interview will be contacted.