Position Summary:

Twelve field technicians are needed to undertake field work for bioacoustics research projects throughout the Sierra Nevada region in California. This monitoring program uses autonomous recording units to survey for avifauna and provide information for research and management of forest owls and songbirds.

Research focuses largely on the distribution of California spotted owls and the invasive barred owl, in order to provide information vital to the successful management of both species at broad spatial scales in the Sierra Nevada. Additional research is being done on the interactions among all forest owls, and the distributions of songbirds across the range.

Start and end dates are dependent on snowpack, but the season will likely run late-April to early-August. Starting pay is $15.00/hour depending on experience. Important: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we can only accept applicants residing in California.

A typical workweek is 40 hours, generally 4 days a week. Field housing will be provided, but frequent camping is required during the work week. Schedules will be irregular and will include a combination of field work and office work. Field work consists of deploying and retrieving autonomous recording units throughout the region. Most sites will be reached by vehicle via forest roads, but some technician positions will involve more hiking to reach field sites. Office work can include, but is not limited to, downloading and managing data, vehicle maintenance, and equipment troubleshooting. Much of the work will be solitary, but group work and cooperative living will also be required. Opportunities to help with other research projects may occur.

The UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is committed to maintaining and growing a culture that embraces diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements of our excellence and fundamental components of a positive and enriching learning and working environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

Requirements:

-Applicants must be physically fit (i.e., able to walk long distances in steep terrain).
-Demonstrated ability to take detailed field notes and translate these into electronic databases.
-Ability to work alone and off-trail far from human settlements.
-Ability and confidence navigating unfamiliar terrain with a map, compass and GPS.
-Ability to safely operate 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
-A clean driving record is required.
-Must work and live cooperatively.
-Applicants must be residing in California to be considered for a position due to UW-Madison Covid-19 restrictions.