Position Title: Sensory Ecology Field Technician(s) Location: Durango, CO
Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Phillips
Potential for one lead technician and one regular technician
Job Summary
The Phillips Lab at Washington State University is seeking field technician(s) to contribute to a project investigating how anthropogenic noise and night lighting influence avian reproductive success and fledgling survival. The successful applicant will help coordinate lab activities and lead fieldwork at a long-term field site in New Mexico (mid-March to mid-August). The lead technician will also coordinate with a postdoc to create daily schedule for field technicians. The fieldwork will involve managing large-scale manipulate experiments, recording birds, nest searching and monitoring, capturing and handling birds, and attaching radio transmitters for radio telemetry. Laboratory work will involve camera and acoustic analyses and analyses of field results.
Duties and Responsibilities
· Organize and help lead field work in conjunction with postdoc or other team members (lead technician)
· Maintain up-to-date field data and field calendar in coordination with team members (lead technician)
· Deploy and maintain off-grid solar power systems
· Nest searching and monitoring
· Hand capture birds at nest boxes
· Attach and remove radio transmitters
· Radio telemetry
· Perform acoustic and image/video analysis
· Assist with manuscripts (lead technician)
· Perform other duties assigned
Position Requirements
· Excellent quantitative, analytical, and data management skills
· Strong computer skills, including data management and data analysis
· Excellent organizational skills
· Ability to prioritize, plan, organize, and meet time lines
· Ability to lead others in managing tasks; train and evaluate the performance of assigned personnel
· Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationship with others
· Desire to learn new skills and work in teams including students, researchers, and faculty
· A valid driver’s license and clean driving record
· Ability to move to field sites for 3-4 month field season and work variable schedules as required for fieldwork
· Experience identifying passerine birds by sight and sound
· Bird banding experience, especially with small passerines
The following experience is desirable:
o At least some experience in sensory ecology (song recording, acoustic analyses)
o Strong data management skills and ability to track nest progression
o Strong interpersonal skills
o Experience with radiotagging passerine birds and using radiotrackers
o A valid driver’s license and clean driving record
o Experience nest searching for passerine birds
o Experience working with program R (lead technician)
o Experience working with people of different backgrounds, philosophies, and objectives
-blood sampling during banding
Physical Requirements
· Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person or on the telephone
· Ability to operate a computer keyboard and calculator
· Seeing to read a variety of materials
· Sitting or standing for extended periods of time
· Physical agility to lift 50 pounds to shoulder height
· Tasks are regularly performed with exposure to adverse environmental conditions
· Physical agility to lift, carry, push, or pull objects
· Physical and psychological ability to withstand demanding fieldwork
Salary and Benefits
· Housing will be provided for the duration of the field season. Utilities are split among the crew as required by the housing lease (typically internet/electric/gas). Camping in tents may be required for portions of the field season.
· Hourly wage starting at approximately $16.50, ~40 hrs per week, mid-March or April to mid-August (5 months)
Application Details
Individuals that meet some but not all of the position qualifications are encouraged to apply, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups in the STEM and wildlife ecology disciplines including but not limited to women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and members of indigenous communities.
-Cover letter (1-2 pages) detailing how the applicant meets the required qualifications, with particular emphasis on bird capture, banding and bleeding, and highlighting additional skills or experiences that would allow the applicant to succeed in this role, as well as available start and end dates.
-Detailed resume with 3 references (please indicate your relationship to each)
-Please include “Sensory Ecology avian field technician” in the subject line.
Please send the application materials above to Jennifer.n.phillips@wsu.edu
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