Description: The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) seeks one (1) wildlife biologist aide for a full-time, 3-year term, to assist with field surveillance of chronic wasting disease, white-nose syndrome, and West Nile virus in the 13 northeast counties of the commonwealth. The employee works with agency biologists to collect wildlife disease samples, which will include gathering of tissues, carcasses, swabs, and related techniques, and collection of insect vectors, for use in the development of adaptive wildlife disease management strategies. Careful and precise data collection and data entry skills are required for each subject area. Workload distribution among these topic areas varies based on the season.
Must establish a residence in Lackawanna, Luzerne or Wyoming counties, and/or be willing to drive a personal vehicle daily to the Northeast Regional Office in Dallas, PA. Wages is $13.56/hr; Position includes health benefits, earn paid leave, and placement in the Commonwealth retirement system.
Qualifications:
- Employee must possess a current driver’s license (e.g., class C Pennsylvania driver’s license).
- A Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Wildlife/Fisheries Science, Biology, Natural Resource Management, Ecology or related field.
- Employee must have, or be willing to get, rabies pre-exposure vaccination. The PA Game Commission will cover the cost of this expense, and follow-up titer tests, as needed.
- Bat identification skills are strongly preferred, but not required, as is caving/spelunking experience.
- Adheres to all rules and recommendations regarding personal protective equipment and safety protocols.
- Attends meetings and training as deemed necessary by supervisors, which may occasionally require overnight travel.
- Long hours and weekend work may be required and in adverse weather conditions.
To apply: Applications must be received by midnight 14 December 2018. Electronic (email) applications only.
Contact Person: Kevin Wenner, Northeast Wildlife Management Supervisor, PA Game Commission
Contact Phone: 570-675-1143 Ext 5012
Email cover letter, resume, copy of transcripts or list of relevant courses (official transcripts are not required), and contact information for 3 references via email to contact email: kewenner@pa.gov
Use email subject line “Wildlife Disease Biologist Aide”
Additional Info:
White-nose syndrome: Assisting with surveys for highly-vulnerable bat species: northern long eared bat, tricolored bat, and little brown bat. Surveys of winter hibernacula involves technical and challenging work in caves and mines. These underground surveys will involve extended periods of time in darkness and may include negotiating tight/confined spaces, exposure to wet conditions, and use of highly technical equipment. Other duties may include surveys of summer maternity roosts, acoustic surveys, and the capture and proper handling of bats (mist-netting, harp-trapping). Employees will be responsible for decontaminating equipment as directed by supervising biologist. Training will be provided on all procedures. Remote work locations, long shifts, late hours, long foot-travel (hiking) to remote sites, and overnight travel (expenses paid) will be required.
Bat identification skills are strongly preferred, but not required, as is caving/spelunking experience. Employee must have, or be willing to get, rabies pre-exposure vaccination. The PGC will cover the cost of this expense, and follow-up titer tests, as needed.
West Nile virus: Assist with weekly specimen collection via trapping (gravid water mosquito traps and hand-dipping larvae), shipping, and proper storage of adult and larval mosquito samples, and physically characterizing mosquito water sources. The work will involve use of technical and specialized identification techniques and morphological assessments necessary to accurately identify mosquito adults and larvae and separate from similar taxa. Training will be provided on all procedures. Employees will be responsible for decontaminating equipment as directed by supervising biologist. Remote work locations, long shifts, long foot-travel (hiking) to remote sites, exposure to biting and stinging insects, and overnight travel (expenses paid) may be required.
Chronic wasting disease: Collecting lymph node and obex tissues from white-tailed deer and other cervids, determining age of deer by tooth wear and replacement. Other samples may also be collected on an as needed basis (e.g., extracting incisors, collecting ticks or keds). Training will be provided on all procedures. Employee will be responsible for accurate and precise data collection via field computer (e.g., iPad or similar device).
Employee will be exposed to unpleasant/putrid odors, animal/deer heads or carcasses in various stages of decomposition (and associated insects). Experience extracting these tissues or experience with scalpels and forceps preferred, but not required.