Deadline: Mon, 03/18/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: University of Montana Job Field: Fisheries Wildlife Job Type: Seasonal, Temporary, Internship Location: Montana Location Detail: Glasgow, Montana Job Description: Work will generally consist of 8 days of fieldwork (followed by 6 days of break) from mid-May through late-August, with potential to continue through mid-October. The field season will be dedicated to three projects. The crew will cover one from May-June, and split to cover the other two from June-August. May-June: Field technicians will assist with capturing and tagging beaver in the prairies of eastern Montana (Zortman and Glasgow areas). The goal of the research is to assess habitat use and survival of beavers in streams with different seasonal availability of water. Primary duties include: (1) making and setting live-traps, (2) manually securing captured beavers, and (3) assisting in surgical application of GPS transmitters. June- August: In mid- or late-June, technicians will transition to projects focused on aquatic communities in the same eastern Montana study area. One project is focused on identifying primary breeding habitats of the Western Encephalitis Mosquito on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, and contributing to the understanding of broader aquatic communities across a range of sites. The other project is investigating the influence of beaver and anthropogenic impoundments on aquatic community composition and distribution. Sampling for both projects will target the larger aquatic community (i.e., insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fish) in streams (including beaver ponds), stock ponds, and small reservoirs. Duties may include: (1) deploying traps for aquatic biota (emergence insect traps, minnow traps, fyke nets); (2) some seining and dipping netting; (3) preserve insect samples and reference samples for aquatic biota; (4) identify amphibian, reptile, and fish to species and life stage (amphibians); (6) conduct habitat surveys; and (7) organize collected samples, data sheets, and photos at the end of each workday. Some data entry will be completed during the summer. There is potential to continue into the fall (mid-October) to help with beaver trapping and tagging, depending on project needs and availability of personnel. Lodging/Schedule: • Housing will be provided in Glasgow, MT (4-bed/2-bath house), but camping to reach some field sites will be necessary. • We expect to work a schedule of 8-days on, and 6-days off (generally) Important Details: The prairie landscapes of eastern Montana are beautiful, but they are also challenging. It can be cold one day followed by a heat wave (e.g., > 95F is common) and intense thunderstorms. Most field sites will have little shade to protect from the sun. Strong candidates will be in good physical condition and be able to work in challenging conditions while maintaining a positive attitude. This positive attitude is also important for interactions with private landowners, ranchers, and the Bureau of Land Management. Candidates will be responsible for their own field gear (i.e. backpack, camping gear, water bottle), food, and transportation to duty station (provided house in Glasgow). Qualifications: Required qualifications: • Training or experience in wildlife biology, natural resources, ecology, or other related field • Hiking up to 1 mile off-trail with heavy field equipment • Valid driver’s license and ability to drive a full-size truck, sometimes off road • Must be a US citizen and able to pass a government background check • Ability to spend long days wading through THICK mud and dense vegetation • Flexibility in scheduling work due to weather conditions or animal activity • Demonstrated organization and attention to detail in data collection • Willingness to endure severe weather with a good attitude • Willingness to camp in undeveloped campgrounds and remote areas • Comfort with assisting minor surgical procedure to attach GPS trackers to tails of live beaver • Basic first aid and CPR certification by start date Preferred qualifications include experience in: • Handling or tagging wild mammals • Working in streams and sampling aquatic biota • Identifying fish and amphibians • Experience using GPS units • Available to work mid-May through August • Curiosity and willingness to learn and work hard Miscellaneous: To Apply: Please contact Colleen Piper (colleen.piper@umontana.edu) and Matt Webster (matthew.webster@umontana.edu) to apply. As a SINGLE PDF OR WORD FILE, email your cover letter, resume/CV, your dates of availability, and at least three professional references. Preference will be given to those that can work mid-May through August. However, outstanding candidates will still be considered even if they can’t work the whole season and should still apply. Include dates of availability in application email Salary: $15-17 per hour How to Apply: To Apply: Please contact Colleen Piper (colleen.piper@umontana.edu) and Matt Webster (matthew.webster@umontana.edu) to apply. As a SINGLE PDF OR WORD FILE, email your cover letter, resume/CV, your dates of availability, and at least three professional references. Preference will be given to those that can work mid-May through August. However, outstanding candidates will still be considered even if they can’t work the whole season and should still apply. Include dates of availability in application email
