Parakeet sociality field crew member

The Hobson Lab at the University of Cincinnati is recruiting 1-2 contractors to collect data and run social experiments with captive groups of Monk Parakeets in large outdoor flight pens.

DATES

Data is collected year-round. Initial positions will be for 2.5 months, with potential extensions up to 12 months. We are looking for at least one person to start as early as August 15th, 2024.

DUTIES OF CONTRACTORS

Duties will involve animal care, catching and handling captive parakeets, long days of social observation and data collection on social interactions, running social experiments, and processing data. While this is a captive population, the flight pen is outdoors, so field assistants will need to be able to deal with weather, the possibility of bugs/snakes, and long days outdoors. The field assistants will work under the guidance and supervision of Hobson Lab members. Field assistants will be considered “independent contractors” and will not have any association with the University of Cincinnati.

QUALIFICATIONS

I am searching for reliable, hard-working field assistants that are capable of working both independently and in teams. The basic qualifications are an interest in social interactions, keen observational skills, and the patience and resourcefulness to thrive in field conditions. Field assistants should be able to sit still for long periods of time, quietly and attentively observing behavior, be able to reliably record high quality data, and to work well as part of the team. Our birds are color-marked so field assistants must be able to differentiate between red, green, blue, etc. Animal handling experience (especially handling birds, and any mist-netting/banding experience) is desired, but people without these skills can be trained. All field assistants must complete an online CITI training course prior to starting work and provide documentation of course completion. Due to university regulations covering these hires, applicants need to be US citizens.

People interested in research questions about social structure, information, recognition, cognition, and memory are particularly encouraged to apply, as are people who may be interested in the possibility of joining the Hobson Lab in the future. Field assistants may be able to develop side projects that can be completed along the main project aims and function as a post-bac researcher (see this paper in Animal Behavior and Cognition, first-authored by our 2021 parakeet crew member and Hobson Lab post-bac Cesar Estien!).

For more insight into the kind of work we do with the parakeets, visit this link.

LOCATION

Texas

COMPENSATION

Shared on-site housing for crew members

Monthly stipend = $1000 per month base salary, with raises possible for longer contracts

Some travel support (cost to travel to the field site)

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

People interested in the field assistant positions should enter their information into this form: https://forms.gle/HZgNHYEePsw1hzBGA

Applicants should be prepared to answer questions about their interest in the project, their relevant previous experiences, upload a current CV in pdf form, and enter the names of 2-3 references who will be contacted for finalists.

** Highly qualified candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis. Interviews will start as early as August 03 **