Wildlife Technician: Ya Ha Tinda Research Project- AB, Canada

Employer: University of Montana & University of Alberta

Location: Ya Ha Tinda Ranch, Clearwater County, AB Canada Job Category: Wildlife Technician (4-month appointment with possible extension)

Salary:  $15-19/hour (Canadian), depending on experience Start Date: 08/01/2020 (may be flexible) Last date to Apply: 07/17/2020

 

Background:

The Ya Ha Tinda Long-Term Elk Monitoring Project is a collaborative research effort between the University of Montana, University of Alberta, Parks Canada, and Alberta Environment and Parks. This project is the longest running elk research project in North America with over 19 years of data on elk movement, migration, and reproduction. The main goal of the project is to monitor adult elk survival and cause-specific mortality, reproduction, and migration to understand differences in fitness between migratory and resident elk. In 2018, the Ya Ha Tinda Elk Project expanded its research to include male elk and for the next year will continue monitoring male elk survival, migration, and habitat selection. For more information about the research project visit our website umt.edu/yahatinda.

 

We are looking for an experienced wildlife technician to lead field operations and data collection at the field site starting August 1, 2020 (preferred). The position will be a 4-month appointment with the potential to extend into 2021. The applicant will be expected to work fully independently at a remote field station in inclement weather conditions while maintaining a positive working relationship with Parks Canada staff. Applicant must have a strong work ethic and be self-motivated to accomplish tasks with little to no direct supervision. Must be able to speak professionally with members of the public including recreationists and hunters. The technician is expected to be familiar with and adhere to Covid-10 precautions as well as other project safety protocols. At this time due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, we can only hire Canadian Citizens.

 

Duties:

The Wildlife Technician will monitor adult elk survival using VHF telemetry and GPS webservices and conduct herd observations to monitor cow:calf ratios and cow-calf resight to monitor the reproductive success of collared females. Additionally, the technician will investigate elk mortalities, conduct vegetation sampling, and conduct backcountry trips to collect data on migratory elk within Banff National Park. The technician will potentially participate in winter elk captures. The technician will be in charge of data entry, sample management, and data analysis, and may be asked to assist with reporting to agencies and publishing research findings.

 

Qualifications:

Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, applicant must be a Canadian Citizen.

 

Education/Field Experience: Applicants should have an undergraduate or graduate degree directly related to wildlife biology and related field experience.

 

Related Work Skills: Preference will be given to applicants with experience conducting backcountry trips, vegetation surveys, using radio-telemetry to locate animals, investigating mortality sites, and hiking / camping in grizzly bear country. Horseback riding and packing experience is desirable. Must have strong attention to detail and ability to work independently in remote locations without cell service. All applicants must have a current, valid Canadian driverÃf¢ÒÂEURÃ’Â(tm)s license.

 

Physical Requirements:  Applicants must be in good physical shape and able to hike long distances in mountainous terrain, have the mental and physical strength to hike and camp in the backcountry for multiple days, and manage transport of field equipment into remote areas.

 

To Apply:

Your application should include the following, and be saved as a single pdf named Ãf¢ÒÂEURÃ’ÂoeYourLastname _Technician.pdfÃf¢ÒÂEURҝ:

1)      Cover letter indicating how you meet the project expectations

2)      Resume/CV

3)      Contact information for three professional references

 

Please email your job application and/or any questions you may have regarding the position to:

 

Tara Meyer

Wildlife Biology Program

WA Franke College of Forestry & Conservation University of Montana tara.meyer@umontana.edu

 

 

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