Steens Wildlife Technician – Hiring ASAP

Oregon State University is hiring two summer workers for a wildlife technician and an intern position in the Steens Mountain area of SE Oregon. The role involves collecting scientific data on songbird abundance and ungulate use in remote locations. Candidates will gain field experience, including bird identification and data collection. This physically demanding position requires camping in isolated areas and working under various weather conditions from mid-May to July/August.
• May 9, 2023
Employer: Oregon State University

Location: Steens Mountain area, SE Oregon

Country: United States

Last Date to Apply: No value

Open Until Filled: Yes

Job Description: Oregon State University is hiring up to two summer workers, one seasonal technician and one student intern, to spend a summer collecting valuable scientific data for a research project in the beautiful and remote Steens Mountains in the Oregon desert. Successful applicants will primarily work with a graduate student on a multi-agency research project assessing songbird abundance and diversity and ungulate use across a variety of habitat types and juniper gradients, with start date of mid-May and continuing until July/August. This project also aims to directly evaluate the songbird response to juniper removal.

At the end of the field season, technicians will gain experience in: Western songbird ID by sight and sound, ATV/4WD/trailer operation and maintenance, game camera and automated recording unit setup, navigating through isolated wilderness and rough terrain, and collecting scientific data for peer-refereed research articles. Students (current undergraduates, or those entering graduate school), especially those interested in birds/birding are highly encouraged to apply for the internship position.

Position Duties: This will primarily be a field-based job involving irregular work hours and/or days and will include camping in remote locations. These positions are physically demanding, and require living and working in isolated areas without internet and with a small group of people.

Field work includes conducting songbird and avian predator (e.g., corvid and raptor) point count surveys, collection of data on habitat characteristics and deployment of game cameras and automated recording units. The position requires irregular and very early morning hours under adverse field conditions (wind, rain, snow, mud). Successful applicants will work in the field individually and in group settings utilizing ATVs, UTVs and/or 4WD trucks and hiking to reach extremely remote survey locations. Study sites are located on Steens Mountain in eastern Oregon.

Required Qualifications:
• Must be 18 or older
• Possess a current, valid driver’s license: a driver’s license required to drive provided OSU field vehicle to commute to remote research 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.
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with auditory songbird point count surveys, including the identification of western bird species by sound and sight
• Courses/experience with wildlife data collection and sampling methods
• Experience conducting field work in rough terrain
• Experience/training with automated recording units (e.g., swift units) and/or game cameras
• Demonstrated experience/training with ATVs, UTVs, 4WD vehicles, manual transmissions, GPS units (such as InReach units) and map apps (e.g., Avenza Maps, onX)
• Experience camping and living/working in remote and rural areas
• Potential candidates should be well organized, self-motivated, and able to perform duties independent of direct supervision
• Ability to safely lift and carry up to 50lbs
• Ability to learn quickly and collect extremely accurate data efficiently.

Salary: $15-18/hour DOE + housing and utilities provided

Last Date to Apply: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Current or prospective students are preferred, but non-students will be considered.

Please submit a resume and three professional references (name, email, and phone number) to cara.christensen@oregonstate.edu. Start dates will be as soon as possible. Please indicate your availability and if you are currently a student (planning to enroll in undergraduate or graduate courses fall term) in your email or cover letter.