Job Announcement
Job
NANTUCKET
CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, INC.
Job Announcement
Job
Title: Seasonal
Field Research Assistant (6 months)
Job
Description:The
Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Inc. (www.nantucketconservation.org),
Department of Science and
Stewardship is seeking motivated, enthusiastic, self-reliant field assistants to
assist with conservation and land management-based ecological research. This is
primarily a field-based position inventorying rare species and habitats,
monitoring vegetation community response to management and applying management
techniques in native ecosystems. Field
assistants will have the opportunity to gain experience in rare species
conservation, land management-based research and applied ecological monitoring.
Responsibilities: Field Assistants will be expected
to participate in:
1. Monitoring vegetation community composition and various
environmental conditions (water chemistry, soil structure etc.) to evaluate the
efficacy of different management regimes (prescribed burning, brush-cutting,
sheep grazing, shrub removal, hydrological alteration) on the restoration and
maintenance of rare grasslands, heathlands, shrublands and wetlands;
2. Radio-telemetry tracking and monitoring of spotted turtles and
assist in other wildlife management projects;
3. Inventory of state-listed plant species that currently or have
historically occurred on Nantucket;
4. Population ecology studies of several plant and animal species of
conservation concern;
5. Inventory, monitoring, and removal of invasive species;
6. Assisting with periodic sheep flock movement and maintenance;
7. Assisting as a co-leader on guided interpretive walks for members
led on Foundation properties;
8. Data entry, proof-reading, and possible data analysis;
9. Participation in the Foundation’s prescribed burn program, upon the
completion of fire training (NWCG S130/190 certification), as weather
conditions and burn season windows allow.
Qualifications:B.S. or B.A. in Ecology, Botany,
Zoology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or a related
biological/ecological field. Strong observational, critical thinking and
organizational skills are essential. Applicants with strong plant
identification skills, particularly those familiar with the flora of the
Northeastern United States will be given high consideration as will those with
experience in plant community and wildlife monitoring techniques, ecological
field data collection, GIS/GPS use, data entry and analysis. Individuals must
be able to work both independently and as a member of a team, under potentially
adverse field conditions. Current NWCG S130/190 fire certification (or
willingness
to participate in an opportunity to complete it prior to employment) will be
given preference (Red Card certification is not necessary). A valid driver’s
license is required.
Dates/Hours:This is a full-time, temporary position
beginning in mid-May and ending in late October; exact dates are somewhat
flexible. Hours are generally Monday through Friday, averaging eight hours per
day, although work times may vary depending on weather, tides, etc.
Wages/Benefits:Housing and work-related
transportation is provided. Wage is commensurate with experience. Medical and
unemployment insurance, paid holidays, and paid sick days are not available to
seasonal employees. Transportation is not provided after working hours.
Location: The Nantucket Conservation Foundation is
located on Nantucket Island, MA,
~ 33 miles south of Cape Cod, in the Atlantic Ocean. Nantucket ecosystems are
dominated by
sandplain grasslands, coastal healthlands, and scrub oak shrublands (rare
habitats in the Northeast), coastal plain ponds and tidal marshes. For more
information on our mission and research projects, please see the Foundation’s
website (www.nantucketconservation.org).
Application: Deadline for
applications is February 15, 2010. Please submit one document containing a
cover letter, resume, copy of college
transcripts and contact information for three professional references via email
to:
Dr.
Jennifer M. Karberg, Research Supervisor
Nantucket
Conservation Foundation, Inc.
[email protected]
The Nantucket Conservation Foundation is an equal opportunity employer
Jennifer M.Karberg
Research Supervisor
Nantucket Conservation Foundation
[email protected]
