Field Technician positions on Eisenberg and Hibbs project, Restoring Fire, Wolves, and Bison to the Canadian Rockies
Location: Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Blood Timber Limit Principal Investigator: Dr. Cristina Eisenberg
Affiliation: Oregon State University; funded by Earthwatch Institute
Job Description: This position involves working in a fescue prairie and an aspen community in Waterton Lakes National Park, AB, and on the Blood Timber Limit (Blackfoot land), measuring fescue prairie, aspen, and wildlife habitat use response to both prescribed burning and a large, high-severity wildfire. The objective it to examine how fire, elk, bison, and wolves interact with fire in restoring the prairie. This project involves hazardous field conditions, including working in areas with high grizzly bear populations, moving through very rough terrain, mostly off-trail, to survey burn units. Must be available to work from April 5, 2020 – July 18, 2020 and from August 15, 2020 – September 20, 2020. Field work takes place on a ten days off, four days off schedule. Field crew is based out of the Waterton townsite. Will be supervised in the field by an ecologist and will be working in a group at all times.
Qualifications: Seeking several experienced field technicians with expertise in grassland and forestry vegetation sampling methods. Only persons with previous paid field technician experience will be considered for this position. Only persons with previous experience working in prairie and aspen communities in the northern Rocky Mountains will be considered. Must have a BSc or be in the final stages of completing a BSc in Forestry or Rangeland. Wildlife ecology skills highly desirable. Must be in excellent physical condition, with no back, knee, or other injuries. Must be able to comfortably carry a 30 lb pack in the field all day and deal calmly with hazards, which include frequent close-range grizzly bear and elk encounters and bushwhacking through very rough terrain. Must have excellent people skills. Must be attentive to details and able to follow directions exactly. Must have a passport and a clean legal record. Must be able to bring own vehicle to the job, although fieldwork will take place using a vehicle owned by the project.
Application Instructions: To apply, please send CV, college transcripts, two letters of reference from persons who have supervised you doing fieldwork, and a cover letter explaining what you hope to gain from this position and why you would be a good fit for it. Please send all materials as e-mail attachments. Applications accepted between January 1, 2020 – March 1, 2020
Compensation: food, housing, salary commensurate with experience, starts at $15 USD per hour.
Contact: Dr. Cristina Eisenberg
E-mail:cristina.eisenberg@oregonstate.edu