Grassland Bird Technician (Central North Dakota - UND)

Positions: 4 Grassland Nesting Bird Technicians

Organizations: University of North Dakota in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

Location: Central North Dakota (Wing, ND; Washburn, ND)

Job Description: We are seeking 4 highly motivated grassland bird technicians to assist in the data collection of grassland bird nests in central North Dakota as a part of a four-year grazing study. Primary duties will include walking plots nested within larger cattle pastures to search for and monitor grassland bird nests including songbirds, shorebirds, grouse, and waterfowl (ducks). Technicians will also be responsible for some vegetation data collection, as well as data entry and proofing. Technicians will ideally start on or around May 13th and continue until approximately August 5th. Some flexibility may be negotiated for the right candidate.

After an initial training period, crews will work in two-person teams to conduct fieldwork. Applicants should be able to demonstrate basic skills in communication, leadership, and being detail-oriented. Preferred candidates will have demonstrated experience in conducting fieldwork, especially as it relates to avian taxa, should be comfortable living and working in remote settings, and walking lots of miles through prairies and cattle pastures. Applicants should also have a positive work attitude, a good sense of humor, and a strong passion for being outdoors. Experience in nest searching and monitoring, and identifying birds by sight and sound is a plus. This position requires all applicants to possess a valid U.S. driver’s license. Field training will be provided for all technicians.

Technicians are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect the safety of the field team, and the rural communities in which we work in. All housing sites are drug-free spaces and technicians will be expected to abide by the set “No-Tolerance” drug policy in coordination with UND, TNC, and DU.

Compensation: Technicians will be paid at $12/hour. Housing and a vehicle for fieldwork will be provided.

How to Apply: Interested persons will need to go to the University of North Dakota job page (https://campus.und.edu/human-resources/careers/job-openings.html) and search for “Grassland Technician (Felege)”. Applicants will need to submit a cover letter, resume or CV, and contact information (phone and email) for 3 professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis until positions have been filled. For full consideration, please apply directly to the UND Job Page (link above) in addition to sending application materials to Taylor Linder, PhD Student.

Contact: For questions related to the project, or the application process, please contact graduate student Taylor Linder at Taylor.Linder@und.edu