Application Deadline: 11/04/2024
Starting Date: 1/15/2025 Ending Date: before 6/30/2025
Hours per Week: 40 Salary: starting at $16 per hour
Education Required: Bachelors Experience Required: at least 1 year
Location: Homestead, Florida
UAV LICENSED PILOT FIELD TECHNICIAN (1) needed for ongoing wading bird research and monitoring in the Florida Everglades. The University of Florida’s Wading Bird Project focuses on long-term trends of wading bird nesting effort of Great Egrets, Wood Storks, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbills and other species throughout the Water Conservation Areas of the Everglades. This position will be part of a field team comprised of 3 additional field technicians and the project manager. This position begins mid-January and runs through mid-late June 2025. Salary is $16/hour 40hr/week plus housing (located in Homestead area of FL) and benefits (https://hr.ufl.edu/working-at-uf/current-employees/temporary-employment-ops/).
Primary duties (~65%) include assisting the project manager with all aspects of wading bird field research including: operating airboats to reach field sites, conducting daily nest checks on foot within inundated tree islands, and monthly counts of wading bird nests from small fixed-wing aircraft throughout the Everglades. In addition, UAV technician will be responsible for conducting daily UAV surveys as Remote Pilot in Command over wading bird colonies from an airboat. Technician will also help project manager oversee daily UAV equipment prep, maintenance, and data management. Field teams and tasks will vary throughout the week. Non-field duties (35%) include data entry/proofing, equipment maintenance, small airboat repairs, and counting wading birds in aerial photos. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the study design and job description portions of our website to recognize unique Everglades working conditions. (https://everglades.weecology.org/jobs/).
Preferred Skills/Qualifications: Successful candidates must have a current FAA certified Part 107 License, experience operating small rotary or fixed-wing UAVs, knowledge of FAA rules and regulations, and basic understanding of UAV maintenance. In the field, technician must maintain a positive attitude, give top priority to safety considerations, be in excellent physical condition in order to contend with difficult working conditions (heat, sun, humidity, biting insects, thick vegetation, deep mud, stuck airboats, alligators, etc.), work and live harmoniously in shared living space with coworkers, and show patience with short-notice schedule changes. Successful candidates must have a valid driver’s license, at least 6 months of prior field research experience and must be a US citizen. Training is provided, but some preference will be shown for those having experience driving 4X4 trucks, piloting powerboats, towing and backing trailers, handling birds, flying in small planes or helicopters, familiarity with power tools, and/or basic engine repair/troubleshooting. A portion of the 2025 field season will focus on UAV surveys, which generate large datasets. Therefore, applicants must be able to complete repetitive office tasks such as data entry, data management, and aerial photo analyses. While not required, experience with ArcGIS, Adobe Photoshop, Agisoft Photoscan, photography, etc. are a plus.
At Weecology, we are committed to supporting and training a diverse scientific workforce. Current and former group members encompass a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds from the U.S. and other countries, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, military veterans, people with disabilities, and students who are the first generation in their family to go to college. We support and encourage students interested in a variety of career paths. Former Weecologists work at NGOs, teaching-focused colleges, research universities, and in the tech industry. We work hard to create a supportive and inclusive lab environment and expect all members of Weecology to abide by the lab code of conduct (https://www.weecology.org/lab-wiki/code-of-conduct/).
To Apply: Please send a one-page cover letter (highlighting your background, interest in the position, and how you meet the qualifications), a detailed resume, and contact information of 3 references, in a single email attachment with the filename Yourlastname_app to Lindsey Garner (everglades@weecology.org) Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the position may be filled prior to the deadline of November 4th. Feel free to contact via email with any questions.
https://everglades.weecology.org
Contact
Lindsey Garner
everglades@weecology.org (preferred contact method)
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