Classification: Temporary/Seasonal Positions
Agency/Organization: Arkansas State University
Job Description: The Rolland Lab at Arkansas State University is seeking a field technician to assist with winter culvert surveys in southern Arkansas for roosting bats, with a primary focus on tricolored bats and a secondary focus on Rafinesque’s big-eared bats. The technician will gain experience counting and identifying roosting bats and working at the intersection of infrastructure and wildlife ecology. We will be going into culverts, some with standing water, with headlamps and chest waders and recording the number and locations of all roosting bats. We will identify a total of 50 culverts in which we will place temperature loggers, and we will monitor them throughout January and February to record any changes in occupancy. Culverts will be selected for survey prioritizing tricolored bats, and Rafinesque’s big-eared bats will be the focus of radio-tracking efforts. Ground-truthing will begin in November and a typical day will run from sunrise to sunset. The number of days per week will vary depending on the distance between sites.
Primary responsibilities will include:
Assisting graduate student with culvert surveys
Collecting and recording data
Assisting with fitting bats with radio transmitters
Tracking bats daily until signals are lost (~2 weeks in January)
Housing likely available for all four months.
Location: Southern Arkansas
Salary: $1300/month for 4 months
Qualifications: Enthusiasm and a willingness to take long road trips and work in cold (and possibly also wet) conditions are a must.
Applicant should have a valid driver’s license and their own vehicle for personal use. Applicant must be fully vaccinated for COVID and will be required to show proof of vaccination.
Field technician will:
Remember and follow project protocols and take direction from graduate student
Be able to navigate to sites using a GPS unit
Be able to track transmitter signals using an antenna and receiver to find roosting bats
Be physically fit enough to walk down slopes and through culverts with standing water
Be observant, a quick learner, and have an interest in bats/wildlife
Be flexible with last-minute schedule changes and exhibit a positive attitude
Be able to deal with temperature extremes (both hot and cold) and varied weather conditions
Bat experience and rabies vaccination are a plus!
Please submit cover letter and CV by email to Anneka Lamb, anneka.lamb@smail.astate.edu.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled and will be reviewed as they come in.
Start Date: 1 November 2021
Last Date to Apply: 11 October 2021
Contact Person: Anneka Lamb
Application Email: anneka.lamb@smail.astate.edu
Contact Preference: Email