Massachusetts Turtle Technician
Agency
American Turtle Observatory
Location
Massachusetts (primarily Connecticut River Valley), USA
Job Category
Temporary/Seasonal
Website
http://www.americanturtles.org
Salary
$1,800–2,000 monthly stipend
Start Date
May 5–20, 2018
End Date
September 1, 2018
Last Date to Apply
April 25, 2018
Description
American Turtle Observatory (ATO; www.americanturtles.org) is seeking a seasonal Turtle Technician to study the spatial ecology and long-term habitat use of four threatened turtle species in Massachusetts: Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina), Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata), Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta), and Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). This position will primarily involve fieldwork, with some office responsibilities and will run from May–September (exact start and end dates are negotiable).
Field responsibilities may involve visual surveys, trapping, hand-capturing, and radio-telemetry of Spotted Turtles, Eastern Box Turtles, and Wood Turtles. Additional field responsibilities may include standardized habitat assessments, providing assistance to project collaborators, communicating with landowners, and following standard decontamination procedures. Office responsibilities will include entering and proofing all field data on a weekly basis, data management in Microsoft Excel, ArcGIS, and/or Google Earth, conducting habitat assessments using aerial imagery, and managing photographs.
The technician will have two days off per week that, depending on the schedule, may or may not be on weekends. The technician should regularly expect to conduct fieldwork in difficult habitats (e.g., including, but not limited to swamps, rocky streams, and very dense shrubland habitat) and inclement weather. The technician must adhere to all state and federal environmental laws during the course of their employment.
Qualifications
Applicants should be hard-working, enthusiastic, enjoy travel, and expect to work long hours in the field in difficult conditions (rough terrain, heat, cold, rain, insects). Applicants should enjoy working independently in relative solitude in areas with limited or no cellphone service, and excel at independently prioritizing research-related decisions based upon a strong grasp of project objectives. Applicants should also be able to interact in a professional manner with landowners and project collaborators by email and phone. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle. Ideal candidates will be proficient in GPS and compass navigation, have experience with radio-telemetry, and be able to interpret topographic maps and aerial photographs. Desired qualifications also include field experience with freshwater turtles in the wild, ArcGIS, Google Earth, and conservation area planning. Ideal applicants will be able to start work by early May. Housing will not be provided.
To Apply:
Please provide (via email) a brief (<1 page) cover letter, resume, and contact information (email and phone number) for three references as a single Word or PDF document to Patrick Roberts ([email protected]) and Liz Willey ([email protected]) by April 25, 2018. Please include “Turtle Technician Application 2018” in the subject of the email. Applications will be reviewed upon submission. Feel free to email Patrick Roberts with questions.
Contact Person: Patrick Roberts
Contact Email: [email protected]