Seasonal Avian Field Biologist (Sage Sparrow) Job Description: The Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS) is seeking 1 seasonal avian field biologist to work on the San Clemente Sage Sparrow Program on San Clemente Island (SCI), California. The San Clemente Sage Sparrow is a federally threatened, endemic subspecies. SCI is the southernmost of the California Channel Islands and is located 68 miles off the coast of San Diego. All work will be conducted on SCI, which is an active testing and training range owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. The position will begin as soon as possible (April 2011) and will last until the end of July with a possibility of extension to September 30. Start and end dates will be discussed with applicants during the interview process.
Field Biologist duties include, but are not limited to: 1) nest searching and monitoring; 2) mistnetting and color-banding juvenile and adult sage sparrows; 3) territory spot-mapping, conducting line transect surveys, and re-sighting of color-banded birds; 4) monitoring transmittered individuals using radio telemetry; 5) data entry and management in ArcView GIS, Access and Excel. Qualifications: We are seeking a highly-motivated and skilled biologist with a strong research background and a commitment to conservation and applied ecology. The successful candidate will have earned a B.S. in wildlife biology, zoology, ecology or a related field and have knowledge of, and experience with, avian biology. Required qualifications include: passerine banding experience and experience mistnetting. Preferred qualifications include: experience conducting nest searching and monitoring, behavioral observations, color band identification, listed species monitoring, attaching transmitters to passerines, use of radio telemetry equipment, and experience operating full-sized 4-wheel drive trucks over rocky and muddy terrain. Because this work is conducted on a military installation, the applicant must be a citizen of the United States or be covered under a TN NAFTA work visa with (or willing to acquire one before start date) a valid, US driver’s license. Additional information regarding IWS research on SCI is available at (www.iws.org). Employment is conditional upon insurability with IWS, so a clean driving record is essential. The applicant should be in excellent physical condition and be comfortable hiking in steep, rocky, cactus-covered terrain and in temperatures as high as 100°F. The applicant should enjoy living as part of a small research community and interacting with fellow IWS biologists, biologists working on other ongoing projects on SCI, and working with military personnel and members of other organizations who may have varying missions, opinions, and personalities. The applicant should enjoy participating in a communal living/working environment and assist with the daily upkeep of a busy field station. Work schedule will generally be 10 days on and 4 days off (off-island). Compensation: Approximately $2000/month (based on an hourly rate). We also provide both housing and food while on island and transportation to and from SCI via twin-engine propeller planes flying out of the Coronado Naval Base in San Diego. Off-island accommodations are not provided. Application Procedure: To apply send a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information (including telephone number, email and work address) of at least 3 professional references as ONE document to Shannon Ehlers at [ehlers AT iws.org]. Please indicate “Sage Sparrow Seasonal Field Biologist” in the subject heading. Applicants must state the number of passerines (adults and nestlings) they have banded. Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received and we therefore encourage interested parties to apply promptly. The closing date for this position is 30 April 2011.
