Grassland Bird Technician (North Dakota)

Job Description: We are seeking 5 highly motivated grassland bird technicians to assist in 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. Technicians will also be responsible for 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. Preferred applicants will have good organizational and communication skills, will be detail oriented, and will share an enthusiasm for working outdoors in various field conditions and around cattle. Applicants should be comfortable working in remote areas and walking lots of miles through cattle pastures and prairies. Preferred applicants would ideally have experience in identifying birds by sight and sound, experience in nest searching, and a good sense of humor and positive work attitude. This position requires all applicants to possess a valid U.S. driver’s license. Additional training will be provided for all technicians.

Technicians will be required to be fully vaccinated for 2-weeks prior to arrival in North Dakota to ensure safety of the entire research team. All housing are drug-free spaces, and all technicians will abide by our set “No-Tolerance” drug policy as set by 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 received by February 27, 2023 will receive preferred consideration, but applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis, or until positions have been filled. For full consideration, please apply directly to the UND Website 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