Wildlife/Habitat Technician (Temp Bio Science Research Worker)
- Northern Great Basin Experimental Range, Riley, OR
- Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Station, Burns, OR
Oregon State University is hiring 6-7 temporary (3 month) positions to spend a summer collecting valuable scientific data for several research projects in the Oregon desert. Successful applicants will work on a variety of collaborative research projects including studies assessing the effects of grazing on sensitive wildlife species, understanding bunchgrass regrowth and wildlife habitat potential under differing management regimes, collecting ecological data to inform forage and fine fuels management tools, monitoring the outcomes of a landscape fire risk reduction study, and assessing outcomes of different grazing and invasive species management strategies on a national wildlife refuge.
While successful applicants will work some on all the projects, 2-3 (depending on funding) will be hired to work primarily on wildlife and wildlife habitat projects. These technicians will be housed and located at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range (NGBER) approximately 35 miles west of Burns, OR in Riley, OR, and will help to implement and monitor a replicated grazing experiment assessing the influence of two grazing regimes and grazing exclusion on the reproductive success of sagebrush-obligate songbirds, potential nesting habitat for sensitive avian species, and plant community composition and structure. These technicians will primarily assist the principal investigator with treatment application, songbird point count and nest surveys, sample processing, vegetation sampling, plant species identification, and data entry and summarization on several wildlife habitat research projects in the northern Great Basin.
The 4 other successful candidates will be hired to primarily work on rangeland ecology and management projects and will be based in Burns, OR at the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center where on-site housing is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. These technicians will collect data on vegetation standing crop and production, plant functional group composition, various habitat quality metrics, and fine fuels (amount, continuity, and moisture). Work on the wildlife and wildlife habitat projects will occur as time allows. These technicians will work predominately in the Pueblo Mountain Wilderness Study Area, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and a variety of ecological sites throughout southeastern Oregon including the Steens Mountain, Owyhees, Hart Mountain areas.
Successful candidates will gain outstanding theoretical and practical training and experience in plant community and wildlife habitat ecology, conservation, and management in the northern Great Basin.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience/training in songbird point counts, nest searching, or experience using wildlife camera technology
- Courses/experience in natural resources, range, wildlife, botany, plant science, or related field.
- Experience/training in field identification of plant species, preferably Great Basin
- Experience/training in vegetation sampling techniques, such as line-point intercept, biomass sampling, visual obscurity estimation with Robel pole, and transect and ground photo monitoring.
- Experience living or working in rural/remote locations
- Experience with excel and use of portable tablets for data entry in the field
- General knowledge of computers and skills for use of word processing and data entry.
- Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.
- Ability to carry out tasks independently and part of a team.
- Experience with driving 4WD vehicles and GPS units.
- Ability to physically hike ten miles or more a day and perform job duties from 0°-105° F in desert environments.
- Ability to safely lift and carry up to 50lbs.
- Possess a current, valid driver’s license. Driver’s license required to commute to remote research/demonstration project locations. A driving history for the past 3 years from the issuing state’s Dept. of Motor Vehicles is required in order to drive University vehicles.
Position Duties
This will primarily be a field based job involving irregular work hours and/or days and will likely include camping in remote locations. Work will consist of roughly 85% data/sample collection and processing in the field and lab and 15% data entry and summarization. Please indicate in your email or cover letter if you are interested in applying for the positions located in Riley, OR focused primarily on wildlife and wildlife habitat studies or for the positions located in Burns, OR focused primarily on rangeland ecology and management studies or both.
Please submit a cover letter and resume to Vanessa.schroeder@oregonstate.edu with Wildlife/Habitat Technician in the subject line by February 1, 2019 for full consideration. Applications accepted through February 22, 2019. Start dates will vary by technician ranging from mid-April to mid-May. Please indicate if you are interested in the Riley or Burns positions or both.