Ellie Resendiz

Bird Bander for Stopover Habitat Quality Project The Wolfe Lab at Michigan Technological University is currently seeking motivated and resilient individuals to fill the position of bird bander as part of our ongoing project aimed at measuring the habitat quality for songbirds across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to applied conservation research in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the country. Position Overview: The Bird Bander will play a crucial role in our fieldwork operations, working closely with a small, diverse team dedicated to avian research across remote areas throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is a paid position at $20/hour, requiring commitment from mid-April through mid-October, weather permitting. The use of a personal vehicle to and from field sites with reimbursement of mileage is possible, although candidates without a personal vehicle will also be considered. Housing in Houghton, Michigan will need to be secured by the candidate with the help of the PhD student and supporting staff. Responsibilities: - Co-leading and operating a mist net station for bird capture and processing. - Safely handling, banding, and processing songbirds and collecting avian genetic samples for research. - Working in hot, inclement weather, and buggy environments. - Collaborating effectively within a team with diverse worldviews. - Working independently and taking direction as needed. - Training and supervision of banding assistants to maintain high quality data collection. - Identify eastern songbirds by sight and sound, and the ability to age, skull, and sex birds in the hand with the assistance of the Pyle guide. Requirements: - A strong work ethic and resilience in challenging field conditions. - Ability to camp and maintain safety protocols for the crew in remote conditions. - Ability to begin the field day pre-dawn and work into the afternoon if necessary. - A passion for birds, fieldwork, and conservation. - Ability to work well within small groups of people, and the ability to train assistant banders. - Experience in banding birds, with a minimum of 750 birds banded. - Ability to ID Michigan’s birds by sight and sound, and the ability to read the Pyle Guide. To Apply: Please submit a letter of interest detailing why you believe you are a good fit for this position, specifying numbers of birds banded and experience bleeding via the brachial vein. Include any previous and relevant experience, your CV with references, and tentative dates of availability for fieldwork in one file attachment with subject “Bird Bander for Stopover - Your Name” by March 30th. Applications should be sent to PhD student Ellie Resendiz at eresendi@mtu.edu, and P.I. Jared Wolfe at jdwolfe@mtu.edu and will be reviewed as they are received, with interviews beginning March 25. This position is not just a job; it's an opportunity to make a tangible impact on conservation efforts and gain invaluable experience in avian research. If you're experienced in the field, love birds and the outdoors, and are eager to learn and contribute to our understanding of songbird habitat quality, we encourage you to apply. We maintain a high expectation and dedication to include scientists from under-represented groups in STEM, and highly encourage individuals from these groups to apply. Bird bander application announcement.pdf

Assistant Bird Bander for Stopover Habitat Quality Project The Wolfe Lab at Michigan Technological University is currently seeking motivated and resilient individuals to fill the position of banding assistant as part of our ongoing project aimed at measuring the habitat quality for songbirds across Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to applied conservation research in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the country. Position Overview: The banding assistant will play a crucial role in our fieldwork operations, working closely with a small, diverse team dedicated to avian research across remote areas throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This is a paid position at $15-20/hour dependent on experience, requiring commitment from mid-April through mid-October, weather permitting. The use of a personal vehicle to and from field sites with reimbursement of mileage is possible, although candidates without a personal vehicle will also be considered. Housing in Houghton, Michigan will need to be secured by the candidate with the help of the PhD student and supporting staff. Overnight sampling events may require camping. Responsibilities: - Setting up and operating a mist net station for bird capture and processing. - Safely handling, banding, and processing songbirds and collecting avian genetic samples for research. - Working in hot, inclement weather, and buggy environments. - Collaborating effectively within a team with diverse worldviews. - Working independently and taking direction as needed. - Identify eastern songbirds by sight and sound. Requirements: - A strong work ethic and resilience in challenging field conditions. - Ability to camp in remote conditions. - Ability to begin the field day pre-dawn and work into the afternoon if necessary. - A passion for fieldwork, conservation, and birds. - Ability to work well within small groups of people. - Bird banding experience is a plus, but no previous bird banding experience is required; comprehensive training will be provided. -Ability to ID Michigan’s birds by sight and sound with the help of guides. To Apply: Please submit a letter of interest detailing why you believe you are a good fit for this position, especially under difficult field conditions. Include any previous and relevant experience, your CV with references, and tentative dates of availability for fieldwork in one file attachment with subject “Assistant Bird Bander for Stopover - Your Name” by March 30th. Applications should be sent to PhD student Ellie Resendiz at eresendi@mtu.edu, and P.I. Jared Wolfe at jdwolfe@mtu.edu and will be reviewed as they are received, with interviews beginning March 25. This position is not just a job; it's an opportunity to make a tangible impact on conservation efforts and gain invaluable experience in avian research. If you're hardworking, love birds and the outdoors, and are eager to learn and contribute to our understanding of songbird habitat quality, we encourage you to apply. We maintain a high expectation and dedication to include scientists from under-represented groups in STEM, and highly encourage individuals from these groups to apply. Assistant bird bander application announcement.pdf