Dates: late March/early April late August, 2011 Location: Carrizo Plain National Monument, California (60 miles east of San Luis Obispo)
Duties: A crew leader and 2 field technicians are needed to conduct a variety of animal surveys as part of a long-term food web study in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. The Carrizo is the largest remnant of the San Joaquin grassland ecosystem and contains many endangered plants and animals. Employees will work on a team of 3-5 people and will conduct a variety of surveys, focusing especially on mark-recapture of endangered kangaroo rats. Mark-recapture surveys of threatened squirrels, point counts for birds, visual line transects for reptiles, pitfall trapping for invertebrates, and spotlight surveys for predators and lagomorphs will also be conducted, and team members will help with vegetation sampling. Crew leader may be offered project manager position at the end of the field season. Requirements: All applicants must be pursuing or have a bachelors degree in the natural sciences and have previous field experience. Must be US, Canadian, or Mexican citizen. Applicants must be able to start in late March or early April and have a personal vehicle to get to/from the study site. Previous supervisory experience, data management, and an interest in continuing on as project manager are desired for the crew leader position. A strong interest in natural history, conservation, and/or management and a high level of responsibility, organization, and motivation are required. PIT tagging experience, small mammal trapping experience, and familiarity with the plants and animals of California are particularly desired. Must live and work well with others in an isolated setting and be positive and flexible. Applicants must be in good physical condition and able to tolerate hot and cold field conditions. Work schedule: Approx. 40 hrs per week, variable throughout season Compensation: $2167/month plus core health benefits for technician, $2423/month plus core health benefits for crew leader. Housing is provided at an active research facility on the Monument. To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for 2-3 references as a single Word or PDF attachment to Laura Prugh by January 31, 2011 at [email protected]. Inquiries can also be directed to Laura by email or phone (510-643-3918).
