JOB TITLE: Migratory Bird Stopover Habitat Field Technician LOCATION: Rochester, NY
The Central & Western NY chapter of The Nature Conservancy is collaborating with Audubon NY and other partners on a migratory bird stopover ecology research project. Based upon literature and expert opinion, we have predicted/modeled migratory bird stopover use of much of the landscape of western NY, and are using skilled volunteer birders to collect bird abundance and composition data at a range of sampling locations to ground-truth and refine this model. This position will be responsible for collecting data on vegetation composition, habitat structure and other characteristics at approximately 40 sampling locations used by the birding volunteers. Ideally, but not necessarily, this position will also help conduct migratory bird surveys in late May and/or breeding bird surveys in June at some of these sampling locations. This position will be responsible for field data collection; coordinating the sampling season, landowner contacts, and occasional assistance from interns and other staff; entering data into the project database; and doing preliminary analyses of those data. This position will require a commitment of at least 35 hours per week from June through August, and a start date sometime in May is preferred. Housing in the central New York area will be provided. Basic qualifications include: a high school diploma and at least one years training in a science or ecology related field, demonstrated ability to learn to identify and identify organisms (experience with northeastern trees, other plant species, and/or birds preferred but not required), familiarity with GPS systems, and experience performing physical work. Essential functions of this position include ensuring consistency of plot establishment, data collection, and data entry; conducting field work in an organized manner such that all areas designated for data collection are visited over the course of the summer; and collects data including identifying all tree and shrub species within sampling plots, estimating percent cover, characterizing elements of habitat structure, and photodocumenting. Required (please see full announcement on-line for complete list): experience conducting ecological sampling in the field, ability to recognize plan species after field training, valid drivers license and clean driving record. Preferred but not required: Ability to identify most breeding birds that occur in the sampling area; experience conducting bird surveys and/or forest surveying techniques; familiarity with GIS software and Microsoft Access. Please go to http://www.nature.org/careers/ and click on how to apply and view positions to see the full announcement and to submit a resume and cover letter as one document. All sections of online application must be completed (e.g. work experience and education, even if information is included in resume) to be considered for a position. Application deadline is midnight February 23, 2010. The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
