Six field assistants are needed to work full time trapping prairie dogs in the Four Corners area on a project examining the degree of divergence of two putative subspecies of Gunnison’s prairie dogs. We will sample prairie dogs along transects spanning their range, and determine the range of each subspecies as well as potential hybridization along the contact zone. A second facet of the research will investigate symbiotic pathogens harbored by prairie dogs. We will quantify and describe levels of infection with * Bartonella*, a blood-borne bacterium, as well as presence or absence of the plague-causing bacterium, *Yersinia pestis*. Finally, we will quantify flea species and abundance on prairie dogs.
The field season will last for up to 14 weeks, from May 10 to August 13. Responsibilities include collection of blood, fleas and tissue, administration of anesthesia, data recording, and setting and checking traps. Tasks will be rotated among field crew members. Work will begin at 6:00-8:00 a.m. and continue until about 6:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday; field assistants will each work two 6:00 a.m. days per week. Prairie dog colonies in rural New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado will be visited. Because many of our sites are remote, we will camp near each colony Sunday-Friday nights and stay in a hotel on Saturday night. Food costs will be covered and technicians will be provided with a small stipend. Qualifications: Must be willing to work long hours in the field, sometimes in inclement weather, and spend most of the time camping. Must be able to complete work involved in handling live mammals. Some physical exertion is required (e.g. hiking to the field sites while carrying equipment) and may be strenuous. If you are interested, please email a resume and cover letter to [email protected] indicating why you are interested in the position, and provide the names and contact information for two references. -- Loren C. Sackett Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado N122 Ramaley, UCB 334 Boulder, CO 80309 web.mac.com/loren.sackett
