Field assistant for research plague and small mammals

Agency: Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho

Salary: $1,160 – $1,440 per month depending on experience

Job Category: Temporary/Seasonal Positions

Dates of Employment: 1 May 2017 =96 15 July 2017

Location: Council, Idaho

Last Date to Apply: 12 April 2017

Job Description:

The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is federally threatened under ESA. We are using field experiments to assess the presence and effects that plague may have on northern Idaho ground squirrel populations and other small mammals associated with them. We capture and mark small mammals using PIT tags and ear tags from May through July.  We compare demographic parameters among treatments, including capture-recapture analyses to assess population attributes (e.g., survival rates).  We anesthetize small mammals (Columbian ground squirrels, northern Idaho ground squirrels, chipmunks, and mice) to collect fleas (a plague vector).=20

Field assistants will devote the majority of their time to trapping chipmunks and mice using Sherman traps.  We will vaccinate these animals to evaluate the presence of plague.  Field assistants may also assist other crews with: 1) ground squirrel trapping, 2) telemetry, 3) flea removal, and 4) other field duties.

Housing will be provided for the applicant during the field season.=20 Field housing may be rustic.  Housing may be a camp trailer, a cabin, or a wall tent.  Applicants must be willing to live for 3 months without daily phone and email access.  Field work will include various types of weather conditions (rain, snow, and heat), long hours, odd schedules, and physical work.  We will provide a vehicle for work to transport technicians between housing and the field sites.

Skills you will acquire:

=95 Trapping, handling, and processing small mammals (northern Idaho ground squirrels,=20=20=20    Columbian ground squirrels, chipmunks, and mice)

=95 Use of anesthesia in the field =95 Experience working with a listed species

Minimum Qualifications

=95=09Education:  B.S. degree in Natural Resources, Ecology, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science, or related field

=95=09At least 1 field season of prior outdoor field work (wildlife or plants) in a job setting =95=09Excellent skills in time and data organization/management

=95=09Demonstrated oral and written communication skills

=95=09Demonstrated ability to work independently =95=09Must be available for employment from 5 April of 2017 through 12 August 2017

=95=09Must be a US citizen or have a valid US green card to apply

Desirable Qualifications

=95=09Experience trapping and handling small mammals

=95=09Must be self-motivated

=95=09Experience living/camping in remote locations for extended periods

**Employment may be contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal background and/or driving investigation.**

How to apply:

Apply by sending a cover letter, CV, copy of college transcripts (unofficial are ok), and the email and phone numbers for at least three references in one document (PDF or Word) to Amanda Goldberg (agoldberg@uidaho.edu).  Please write “vaccine” in the subject line.  We will review applications as they are received.=20

The job will remain open until 12 April 2017 or until the position is filled.

Job Description:  The USDA, Agriculture Research Service, Northern Plains

Agriculture Research Laboratory in Sidney, MT is seeking an enthusiastic and

hard-working individual to serve as a biological science aide.  Our research

focuses on grassland insect and rangeland ecology; specifically how

interactions between grasshoppers and Mormon crickets affect Mormon cricket

and grasshopper diets, insect immunity to pathogens, and grassland health.

Work may include sampling grasshoppers and other rangeland insects in large

scale experiments, sampling rangeland plants, setting up and conducting

manipulative experiments in the field and lab.  Most field work will be

conducted in subalpine meadows at 9000 feet elevation in the Bighorn

Mountains in northern Wyoming. A willingness to drive on overnight travel to

sites in Wyoming will be required.

Salary: $11.48 =96 12.53 per hour (GS-2 =96 GS-3) dependent on experience and

education.  Dorm-style, shared housing is available on location for ~$140

per month, including utilities, internet and basic cable TV.

Dates: Starting June 11 through the end of September or October, depending

on a candidate=92s availability.

Qualifications: The candidate must be a US citizen.  Additionally, the

candidate should be physically fit, able to walk rapidly over rangeland, and

comfortable spending long hours outside at high elevation. The candidate

will need a driver=92s license.  Willingness to work long days, and some

weekends when necessary is also a must.  Undergraduate course work in

ecology, entomology, range or environmental sciences, and previous field

work experience is preferred, but not required.=20

Application process: Please send cover letter, resume, and names and contact

information of two references (electronically) to Robert Srygley

(robert.srygley@ars.usda.gov).  Be sure to include available start and end

dates. In your cover letter and please describe any experience or coursework

you have in relevant areas such as field ecology, entomology, or plant

identification In your cover letter or resume.

Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and continue until the

position is filled. For more information on the grasshopper research program

visit: www.ars.usda.gov/pa/nparl/rsrygley or contact us directly.

PRIMATE SENSORY ECOLOGY PROGRAM

Research assistants on this project will use feeding experiments to test the reliance of saddleback (Leontocebus weddelli) and emperor (Saguinus imperator) tamarins on vision, olfaction, and taste in the wild.

Tamarins are a particularly special subset in which to examine the role of vision because they display a sex-biased variation in trichromatic, or color, vision. In this project, we also explore sensory ecology in relation to a variety of stimuli, such as familiar/unfamiliar alarm calls, urine, or scent-gland compounds. Participants will learn how to design and conduct the experiments, record behavioral data, and perform basic data analysis in the field.

All of this work is sanctioned by the Amazon Conservation Association, the Animal Care Committee of the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Peru.

PROGRAM DATES FOR 2017

Session one: June 16th =96 July 8th

Session two: June 30th =96 July 22nd

APPLICATION DEADLINE

April 17, 2017, or until all program openings are full

PROGRAM FEE

$1350 for the minimum 3-week session; RAs may stay longer at a rate of $450 each additional week (includes all lodging and food, as well as transportation from Puerto Maldonado to the field station and back).

PAYMENT ASSISTANCE

While we currently do not offer any scholarships for these programs, we do provide an optional peer-to-peer crowd funding platform that can significantly reduce costs.

LEARN MORE

https://fieldprojects.org/research/sensory-experiments

ABOUT US

Field Projects International is a 501(c)(3) organization chartered to conduct field biology research and provide tropical ecology education.

Graduate Research Assistantships in Wetland Ecosystem Services and Restoration

The Atwood and Kettenring labs in the Department of Watershed Sciences and the Ecology Center at Utah State University have openings for graduate students (MS and/or PhD) in wetland ecosystem services and wetland plant restoration, starting summer and fall 2017.  One project is primarily focused on quantifying ecosystem services in natural and restored Great Salt Lake wetlands and the prioritization of management actions based on different ecosystem service scenarios, under the guidance of Dr. Trisha Atwood (http://trishaatwood.weebly.com/), an aquatic ecologist with a focus on global change.  Students with past experience working in wetlands and/or working with conservation prioritization tools are particularly encouraged to apply.  A second project is focused on techniques for reestablishing native plants for supporting ecosystem functions and services in Great Salt Lake wetlands, under the guidance of Dr. Karin Kettenring (http://karinkettenring.weebly.com/), a plant ecologist who focuses wetland restoration and management.  Students with a background and interest in seed ecology, plant propagation, and/or wetland restoration are particularly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should email Dr. Atwood (trisha.atwwod@usu.edu)=20

and Dr. Kettenring (karin.kettenring@usu.edu) with their transcripts (unofficial okay), GRE scores, a statement of research interests including preference for one or both projects, and a resume or CV.=20 Review of applicants will begin April 14, 2017, and the positions will remain open until filled.

Utah State University is located in picturesque Logan, UT, a community of 100,000 people situated 85 miles north of Salt Lake City.  Logan has a low cost of living and is located in a semi-rural mountain basin with nearby ski resorts, lakes, rivers, and mountains providing unparalleled recreational opportunities.

Research Assistant/Crew Leader for vegetation Sampling =96 Eastern Massachusetts

Sustainable Working Landscape (SWL)

Full Time 13-week position

Summary

The Harvard Forest is seeking an energetic person with field experience in sampling forest vegetation as part of an ongoing forest dynamics research project. The assistant will work with minimal supervision, locating pre-existing plots, sampling vegetation (trees, shrubs, herbs), entering data into spreadsheets, and establishing new plots. At the beginning of the summer the RA will help with training the field crew, and be leading the crew in the day-to-

day operations of the field sampling. This summer=92s work will serve as the ongoing long-

term ecological monitoring program in Lincoln and Concord Massachusetts, located in and around Walden Woods.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills

-=09One full season of field experience sampling forest vegetation REQUIRED

-=09Experience with map and compass, GPS, plant identification, and sampling methods

-=09Understanding of New England=92s forest plant communities and succession patterns

-=09Background in ecology, forestry, and/or botany

-=09Experience in entering data into an Excel spreadsheet

-=09Ability to learn quickly, work independently, and be self-motivated in challenging conditions

-=09Access to a reliable vehicle and valid driver=92s license

Working Conditions

Applicants must be in good physical health and capable of lifting 50 pounds. The ability to use a map and compass and a GPS unit to find sample plots that are located off trails and through dense understory vegetation is a must. Must be willing to work outdoors all day and under most weather conditions while maintaining a positive attitude.  This project will involve minimal amounts of indoor work.

Compensation, Benefits and Application Process

Pay will be $20 hour/ approximately 40 hours a week, 13-week full time appointment. Possible part-time work before the summer sampling starts and after the summer sampling concludes.  No benefits.

To Apply and For More Information

Application deadline is April 20th. Potential applicants are encouraged to visit: http://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/science-initiatives/stewardship-science to learn more about the overall project goals and field methods. Please send your cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to hfapps@fas.harvard.edu to the attention of Jay Aylward.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is currently recruiting for the

Fall 2017 cohort in the Masters of Science in Environmental Studies program.

Deadline for applications is April 15.

Our non-thesis program is an exciting, interdisciplinary curriculum focusing

on linking classroom experience with hands-on fieldwork, culminating in a

semester-long internship/practicum with an environmentally-related

organization. Our program is both challenging and rewarding, with a high

degree of collegiality among students and faculty.

=20

MS concentrations are available in:

-Coastal Management

-Environmental Conservation and Management

-Marine and Coastal Education

-Environmental Education and Interpretation

An Individualized Concentration is also available for those who wish to

design their own curriculum in conjunction with faculty.

For more information, and a link to application materials:=20

http://www.uncw.edu/evs/graduate_programs.html.=20

Be sure to watch our short video about the program with student

testimonials:

http://catalogue.uncw.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=3D40&poid=3D6798&returnto=3D5215

For more information about UNCW, feel free to see our University=92s web site:

www.uncw.edu.

=20

Again, the deadline for Fall 2017 is April 15, 2017.

For questions or additional information, please feel free to contact me.=20

Best wishes,

Dr. James A. Rotenberg

Graduate Program Coordinator

email: rotenbergj@uncw.edu

ESA seeks an energetic ecology, biology, or environmental science student or recent graduate with strong communication skills to help raise awareness of events at ESA and the research published in our scholarly journals.

The communications intern will work with Liza Lester, ESA’s public information manager, to track news stories about the society and its publications, update webpages, and share society news through ESA’s social media channels. Though the primary duties are databasing, webpage upkeep, and social media messaging, there may be opportunities to write or produce other creative work for ESA’s news page, Ecotone, pending time available and demonstrated ability.

Specific Activities:

* Data entry: track coverage of ESA in the news using Google search tools and record details in our news archive; collate information on presenters at ESA’s annual meeting

* Web content: format graphics and text for publication on ESA webpages; locate and caption appropriate images to illustrate news items=20

* Social media: create and schedule teasers for research articles, presentations, news, and events

* Fact-checking: research biographical details and other background information for ESA news articles.

Qualifications:

* Graduate student, senior undergraduate, or recent graduate of a biological or environmental sciences program=20

* Experience and interest in ecological research and science communication

* Demonstrated writing ability

* Familiar with Microsoft Excel, Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook

* Familiar with ESA scholarly journals a plus

* Basic HTML skills a plus

* Willing to perform data-entry and other basic tasks

* Willing to learn as needed and follow directions=20

* Must enjoy working effectively as part of a team

* Ability to maintain confidentiality=20

* Hours are flexible, but you must be available to work 10-20 hours per week in ESA’s downtown Washington, DC office during business hours (9am-6pm; M-F)

This is a paid, part-time internship based in ESA’s downtown Washington, DC office. The position is funded through June 30, 2017 and pays $15 per hour. Applicants must be available to work a regular schedule, 10-20 hours per week during business hours (9am-6pm; M-F). =20

How to apply:

Please email a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample to Liza Lester, LLester@esa.org. Please put “Communications Intern” in the subject line. The position is open until filled.

ESA is an Equal Opportunity employer.=20

Nature’s Capital is a small business located in Boise, Idaho. Our mission is to assist clients in the maintenance and enhancement of the natural capital assets found in biological and physical resources. We provide scientifically sound, high quality ecological inventory and assessment information and management recommendations founded in knowledge of ecosystem processes and functions. Nature’s Capital is seeking to fill up to four seasonal Biological Technician positions.

The Biological Technician will assist in collecting and summarizing data on the ecology of forest, shrubland, and grassland vegetation. Duties include making observations and recording data on plant species composition, stand structure, and environmental factors influencing the distribution of plant communities or species. Duties may include recording, summarizing, and proofreading technical information; use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, or GIS software; or interpreting spatial imagery or other technical map products. The position will require demonstrated experience in back country travel; some experience in use of basic tools such as a field compass, topographic maps, clinometer, altimeter, and global positioning systems; and operation of motor vehicles on unimproved roadways.

Work activities require ability to walk for several hours in rugged terrain and work in extreme weather conditions. Work schedules will require overnight travel and primitive camping in remote locations.

Minimum Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree in botany, ecology, forestry, range or a related field, or an equivalent combination of courses leading to a bachelor’s degree and work experience. Work experience should demonstrate some knowledge of a regional flora and ability to complete tasks outlined in the position description (for example, some experience identifying plants using a taxonomical key; measuring tree growth; sampling vegetation using standard plant ecology, common stand examination, ecological site inventory, or forest inventory analysis methods; rare plant or noxious weed survey methods; or habitat and population monitoring methods). Back country experience must be documented either through work history or recreational activities such as hiking, skiing or mountaineering. Current certification in standard first aid is required (more advanced certification, for example, Wilderness First Responder, is preferred).

Candidates with strong back country experience and interest in acquiring skills and career experience in field ecology are encouraged to apply.

To apply for a Biological Technician position, please send a current resume as an email attachment to srust@naturescap.com. Include the job title in the subject line. Please provide contact information for individuals with knowledge of your experience and capabilities. Candidates for the position should make contact as soon as possible. Hiring decisions are planned to begin on or before April 15, 2017.

Nature’s Capital, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Salary and benefits are competitive. Positions may be based in locations other than Boise, ID.

Job Announcement: Summer small-mammal trapping field technicians

GS – 4, 5, 6, 7

Duty Station: Alta, Sacramento, Placerville, CA

Reply Due:  April 12, 2017

  *

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the vacancy announcement for this position complete the attached Outreach Notice Response Form and return it to eabelson@fs.fed.us<mailto:eabelson@fs.fed.us>.

This notification is being circulated to inform prospective applicants of this upcoming opportunity.  If you are interested in receiving a copy of the vacancy announcement (job announcement) for this position complete the attached Outreach Notice Response at the bottom of this email and return it to eabelson@fs.fed.us<mailto:eabelson@fs.fed.us>.

POSITION INFORMATION:

Temporary Biological Sciences Technician (Wildlife) with the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: Series 0404, Grade 4, 5, 6 and 7.  Duty station: Alta, Sacramento or Placerville, California.

Start and end dates: At least three contiguous month period between May 2017 to end of September 2017

Salary:  Approximately $2,500 – $3,500/month depending on GS grade (4, 5, 6 or 7)

Project description: Project focuses on wildlife movement in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California (study area falls in the general area of Auburn, Cisco and Nevada City, CA) with a duty station in Alta, Sacramento or Placerville CA (dependent on project needs).  Understanding how roads isolate wildlife populations is critical to guide future mitigation efforts.  This work aims at developing a better understanding of how structures that provide safe passage across the road (e.g. culverts) help connect wildlife populations on opposite sides of the road.  We use small mammal traps, along with road-kill surveys, to examine the effects of roads broadly across the landscape.

Duties: Lead a team responsible for monitoring wildlife.  Applicant should be responsible, organized and motivated.  Field teams will predominantly be working with small-mammal traps but may also assist in road-kill surveys, camera-traps (remotely-triggered wildlife-cameras), and assessing underpasses for wildlife suitability.  Field work will involve navigating and hiking across rugged terrain to field sites while carrying heavy equipment.  Field work may also be largely focused on the road verges and will likely require extensive work on the road-side.  During periods without field work, efforts will be focused on data entry and identifying wildlife species in camera-trap photos.  Small-mammal trapping occurs in the early morning (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM) and again in the early evening (4:00 PM – 8:00 PM) to ensure small mammal safety.

Requirements: Must have experience handling small-mammals, working with small-mammal live-traps and California small-mammal identification. Applicant should have previous supervisory experience and be comfortable managing conflict.  Applicant should be detail oriented with the ability to take careful notes in field and office settings (Microsoft Excel experience).  Applicant should be in good physical condition with the ability to hike at high elevation and in rugged terrain while carrying equipment.  Applicant should be comfortable working outdoors and in challenging field conditions (e.g. hot/cold) including along roadsides.  Applicant should have basic competency using GPS/maps to locate field sites.  Available to work full-time (40 hours/week).

Desired qualifications (not required): Driver license; experience with camera-traps, possibility to work alternative schedules (e.g. 4 days on with 3 days off; 40 hr/week average) & an interest in ecology and wildlife biology.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION

If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete this form and send it by e-mail to eabelson@fs.fed.us<mailto:eabelson@fs.fed.us>

Please respond no later than April 12, 2017

INTERESTED APPLICANT INFORMATION:

NAME:

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CURRENT STATION/LAB/REGION/FOREST/DISTRICT: (if applicable)

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CURRENT POSITION TITLE:

I AM ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL NON-COMPETITIVE HIRING AS:

VRA (Veterans Recruitment Authority) SCHEDULE A (Persons with disabilities)   Reinstatement (prior permanent career/career conditional employees) OTHER

**Note: for candidates that do not understand what these authorities mean, or the criteria that needs to be met in order to be eligible for non-competitive hiring authorities, please see the information below.

  *   30% or More Compensable Disabled Veterans: Temporary and career opportunities can be provided to qualified disabled veterans who were discharged because of a service-connected disability or retired with a disability rating of 30% or more, and have been rated by the VA since 1991 or later as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

OPM.Gov/Strategic Management of Human Capital<http://www.opm.gov/Strategic_Management_of_Human_Capital/fhfrc/FLX02020.asp>

  *   Veteran’s Recruitment Authority (VRA): Allows for temporary and career opportunities for positions at grade levels through GS-11. Qualified veterans must be disabled or, have served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized or, received an Armed Forces Service Medal or, was recently (within the last 3 years) separated from active duty. OPM.Gov/Strategic Management of Human Capital<http://www.opm.gov/Strategic_Management_of_Human_Capital/fhfrc/FLX02020.asp>