Raptor Survey Technicians (2)

Position: Raptor Survey Technicians (2)

Organization: HawkWatch International

Project Supervisor: Jordan Herman (she/her)

Location: Salt Lake City and South-Central Utah

Salary: $2,600/month, plus free shared housing in Salt Lake

Timeline: 40-50 hours/week April – early July 2023. Work days are irregular.

About HawkWatch International: Founded in 1986, HawkWatch International (HWI) is a raptor conservation nonprofit with a mission to conserve the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health. We just celebrated our 35th anniversary and are ready to invest in people who can help our hardworking team of educators, scientists, and administrative staff.

About the position: HawkWatch International is seeking two technicians to conduct raptor nest surveys from April through early July, 2023. Technicians will survey Mexican spotted owls, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, and other raptors as needed. Technicians will also survey common raven nests. Surveys will be conducted in Garfield County in south-central Utah, home to Capitol Reef National Park and Canyonlands National Park. 

This is a unique opportunity to work with sensitive species in beautiful canyonland habitats. Primary duties include performing daytime and nighttime nest surveys in remote areas on foot and by vehicle. Technicians must be comfortable driving on unimproved roads, riding ATVs, and hiking to survey locations. Technicians will follow established protocols for raptor nest surveys. Field training will be provided, however, prior experience with nest surveys is preferred. Attending a training course for Mexican Spotted Owl surveys in late March is required if the applicant has not received prior training with USFWS. 

Technicians will stay in primitive campsites while in the field, often without cell phone service or facilities. Overnight backpacking is not required to access remote sites. Technicians will work in pairs for extended periods in the field (3-4 nights or longer, depending on survey effort). Shared housing is provided for free in Salt Lake City when not in the field. 

Competitive applicants:

• Will have prior avian monitoring experience (e.g. point counts, transect surveys, nest surveys, migration counts, etc.)
• Will have prior nest survey experience, particularly with diurnal and/or nocturnal raptors
• Must be able to ID, sex, and age western raptor species
• Are passionate about spending long hours in the field observing birds, are physically fit and capable of hiking off-trail to survey locations, and comfortable working long hours during the day and night
• Can confidently navigate in the backcountry with limited cell service using maps and a GPS unit, especially at night
• Are competent with basic vehicle maintenance and repair (changing tires, putting on snow chains, getting unstuck from mud, patching tires, etc.
• Have experience operating off-highway vehicles (e.g., ATVs and UTVs) on uneven terrain with rain, mud, and snow
• Are able to make detailed field observations, follow specific data collection protocols, and work independently (field training will be provided).
• Must be willing to camp overnight near the study site for several nights per/week during the field season.
• Must be comfortable driving and riding in a vehicle for long periods of time (6+hours per day)

How to apply: Please fill out the application here: https://form.jotform.com/HawkWatchInternational/raptor-survey-field-technicianApplications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We will stop accepting applications after February 22, 2023, or once we receive 50 applications. We will contact applicants to schedule interviews no later than February 23, 2023.

** Please note, we are not able to accept international applicants at this time. **