SCDNR is looking to hire a seasonal bat technician to assist in summer bat monitoring on the SC Coastal Plain. This is a great entry level position for anyone looking to get into bat work, and provides the opportunity to discover new coastal populations of Northern long-eared bats while gaining experience handling this federally listed species.
Apply here. Closes 3/8/2023, 5:00 PM Eastern time.
SCDNR Bat Technician Position, 4 months
Start date: Apr 3, 2023
Duration: 4 months. End date Aug 4, 2023
Salary: $12/hr, 40 hrs/week
Location: Columbia, SC
Position description: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) seasonal bat technician will assist in summer bat monitoring on the Coastal Plain through nightly mist netting and harp trapping; tracking of radio-tagged bats; entering data into SC Heritage Trust database and NABat database; assisting with report preparation; and providing bat outreach as needed. The goal of the project is to capture and track bat species of concern such as the Northern long-eared bat, Tri-colored bat, Little brown bat, and Rafinesque’s big-eared bat to roost sites on the coast. One of our priorities is to identify additional sites where Northern long-eared bats are found on the SC Coastal Plain.
SCDNR vehicle provided. When overnight stays outside of the Columbia area are needed, housing and $35 per diem will be provided. Thus, housing and per diem is provided when conducting field work on the coast. The first few weeks will involve prepping for the field, followed by the coastal netting season from mid Apr thru early Aug. Bat netting would be conducted on non-holiday, Mon-Thurs nights. This involves being on site in the evening for set-up, netting for 5 hours after sunset, and clean-up. When bats are tagged and ready to radio-track, netting nights will be reduced accordingly to keep hours worked within 40 hrs/week.
Minimum Requirements: Applicants must have a high school education OR at least 3 months related bat experience. Applicants must have a valid driver's license and be willing to work nights during netting season.
Preferred Qualifications: Applicants should be able to work under adverse field conditions including high heat and humidity, where encounters with snakes, alligators, biting insects, etc. are possible. Applicants should be in good enough physical condition to hike at least 5 miles per day. Preference given to candidates with bat monitoring experience and up-to-date pre-exposure rabies vaccines.