GGRO Assistant Biological Technician

To apply for this position, please go to:  https://jobapply.page.link/VXjJ

Organization Description:

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service overseeing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area — 84,000 acres of national parkland spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, including Muir Woods, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, and Alcatraz Island. The Parks Conservancy is a membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. 

With our local and federal partners, the Parks Conservancy is committed to the work of supporting Bay Area national parks as places where we can further racial and social justice for our community and climate resilience for these protected lands.

Department Description:

The Parks Conservancy’s Conservation and Community Science (CCS) department supports the climate adaptive work of the Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and agency partners by engaging our local communities and regional conservation practitioners in efforts that address the information needs of park scientists. We develop and carry out conservation science studies designed to fill critical data gaps, spark curiosity, and engage a more diverse cross-section of Bay Area residents to understand how to improve the climate resilience of our parks as temperatures and seas rise. We work to demystify the scientific process by building bridges between community members, land managers and practicing scientists. We also work to rectify historic injustices built into the practice of science by expanding our collective understanding of what it means to “do science’ and by re-connecting with non-institutional ways of understanding our relationship to the natural world.

The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory is the oldest of the Parks Conservancy’s Community Science programs, established in 1984 in cooperation with the National Park Service. GGRO is the umbrella for several research and monitoring volunteer programs centered on the annual autumn migration of tens of thousands of birds of prey through the Marin Headlands. GGRO has two full-time staff who coordinate 130 community scientists working as raptor counters and banders. The resulting data show population trends for Pacific Flyway raptors. We also provide critical information on population movements and structure, as well as stressors and causes of mortality. GGRO biologists cooperate with a range of professional scientists from agencies and universities to ensure the maximum value of the data we collect.

Position Overview:

The GGRO Assistant Biological Technician is responsible for field and office support to the GGRO banding and hawkwatching programs for the fall 2022 season. Support includes assisting with volunteer coordination and supervision, safety program support, maintaining safety and research supplies, vehicle support, bird care, and data management. This is a seasonal, 6-month, assistant position in support of more than 130 GGRO highly- trained National Park Service volunteers producing 10,000+ community science hours.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

General

Assists with coordination and training of 130+ volunteers and volunteer leaders

Assists with daily/monthly safety trainings for volunteers

Supports vehicle maintenance and upkeep

Assists with data entry and proofing

Coordinates husbandry management at bird facility

Prepares social media content and daily blog postings

Support for GGRO trainings and meetings, both on-site and Zoom-based

Banding

Supports Banding Manager in:

Maintaining trapping equipment/field sites, banding research tools and equipment

Taking and organizing biological samples (feathers, blood, etc.)

Assisting with and training volunteer banders how to band and trap raptors using GGRO techniques

Hawkwatching

Supports Hawkwatch Manager in:

Managing Dunkadoo data, data collation and field corrections

Maintaining hawkwatch research tools, and data devices

Assisting with and training volunteers in raptor identification and counting  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Technology

Basic knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, & SharePoint)

Basic knowledge of Zoom and other virtual online meeting tools

Basic knowledge and ability to use social media platforms

Driving

Valid Driver’s license and clean driving record

Must drive 4WD vehicles over rough dirt roads

Reliable transportation to and from the Marin Headlands, CA

Raptors/Birds

Knowledge of bird husbandry, health, and handling techniques

Knowledge of raptor biology

Basic knowledge of raptor trapping skills include using bow nets, mist nets, dho-gazzas (>30 preferred)

Knowledge of binoculars and spotting scopes

People Skills

Ability to work with, and supervise, a wide range of people and personalities with enthusiasm and skill

Demonstrates attention to detail, accuracy, thoroughness

Effectively manage time with multiple assignments and deadlines to ensure timely completion of projects

Understands programs’ strengths and weaknesses

Understands volunteers’ strengths and weaknesses, and how to support them in their path to improvement

Maintains awareness of changing field conditions, adapts to maintain safety

Exhibits sound and accurate judgement

Excellent problem-solving skills

Understands the power of teamwork, balances team and individual responsibilities

Excellent inter-personal communication skills and the ability to work in a team toward common goals 

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in ecology, wildlife biology or related field

Two seasons raptor-banding and raptor identification/surveys

Handled and banded over 50 raptors (additional Banding resume required) 

Experience working with volunteers and/or field crews

Physical Requirements and Work Environments:

Ability to condense safety guidelines into field trainings and situations

Adequate vision to spot and ID birds of prey, as well to read small fonts – may include corrective lenses

Frequently lifts, carries and positions objects weighing up to 50 lbs.

Field work will include sitting on a stool for up to 8 hours, squatting and kneeling, also standing for 6 hours

Ability to walk up and down a rocky fire road ½ mile in length with a steep grade, carrying up to 20 lbs.

Some work is performed sitting at a desk and in front of a computer

Work location is Ft. Cronkhite and the Marin Headlands

Work week will include working weekend days, some holidays, and some evenings

Health and Safety:

It is the policy of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthful workplace free from recognized hazards that may cause harm to employees, consistent with and in compliance with applicable state and federal laws. Employees will play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and will comply with all applicable health and safety rules. The Conservancy is committed to the goal of implementing an effective health and safety program and an injury prevention program

Based on the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Parks Conservancy requires all employees, interns, and independent contractors to be vaccinated and to provide proof of such vaccination as a condition of employment or performing contract work. 

Pay Rate & Benefits: $24/hour; Comprehensive benefits package includes paid vacation/personal/sick days, medical/dental/vision plans, 403(B), Employee Assistance Program, employer-matched Commuter Program, employee discounts, and more.

Start Date & Duration: The GGRO Assistant Migration Biological Technician position is a seasonal position starting July 18, 2022, and ends January 20, 2023.

Application Deadline Date:  For priority consideration, please apply by March 25, 2022, 5:00 PM PDT.  After March 25, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances.  We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.