summer full-time, paid fisheries technician

Hiring full-time, paid fisheries technician

IMG_E0230Description: The Schultz lab at UConn is seeking a summer field technician to assist on a graduate student project investigating juvenile Alewife migration. Alewife is a species of conservation concern along the northeast Atlantic coast, and this project is conducted in partnership with CT DEEP and USGS.

IMG_2981The successful applicant will assist with a swimming performance and metabolic rate study. Work will include, but is not limited to, the following: field sampling (purse seining & trapping fish), live fish transportation, fish dissection & tissue extraction, equipment maintenance, tank maintenance, experimentation (salinity trials & swimming performance), and lab work. The technician will gain useful skills in both the fisheries and broader STEM fields. There is some opportunity for the technician to help with outreach and broader impacts related to the study if interested. Hours will be irregular during sampling (and to some degree experimentation) and technician must have a flexible schedule. Work on some weekend days may be necessary. This is a full-time and paid position.

Duties/Responsibilities include:

•       Assisting with field sampling and lab work, including but not necessarily limited to travel to field sites, working at night in an open boat, dissecting fish specimens.

•       Maintaining field gear and experimental tanks.

•       Interacting with collaborators in a professional manner.

•       Communicating with other students and public in outreach efforts.

Minimum Skills/Qualifications:

•       A demonstrated interest in ecology, marine/aquatic biology, and/or fisheries science.

•       Strong academic background in biological sciences.

•       Willingness and ability to perform strenuous field work and to swim (safety precaution).

•       Ability to pass state background checks to access field sites.

•       Ability to communicate well in both the office and field environments.

•       Motivation and ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

•       Ability to maintain enthusiasm and positive attitude during late/early/long working hours

•       Strong attention to detail and creative problem solving

•       Ability to interact with collaborators in a professional and productive manner

•       Desire to pursue research/career in fisheries, ecology, or related field

If interested, please send CV, cover letter, and 1-3 references to Rebecca S. Colby (rebecca.colby@uconn.edu).