What are the responsibilities and job description for the Biological Assistant position at National Audubon Society, Inc.?
Job Description:
Position Summary:
About 2.1 billion Neotropical migratory birds cross the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration each year, enduring long and dangerous flights over open waters to complete their annual cycle. Many of these birds and their offspring also return across the Gulf during fall migration. With the proposed development of offshore wind energy projects in the northern Gulf of Mexico, understanding the risk of migratory birds colliding into wind energy infrastructure is a critical knowledge gap to address. With the recent development of multi-sensor geolocators that record and store atmospheric pressure and movement activity, we can now estimate flight altitude every 30 minutes between stopovers. Unlike traditional light-level geolocators, archival GPS tags, or automated radio telemetry networks, fine-scale altitudinal movement data can now be collected on small birds (<50 g) at low costs and with no additional infrastructure needed, filling a critical gap in movement ecology that is not otherwise feasible to achieve.
This position will deploy multi-sensor geolocators on several migratory bird species that breed in southern Louisiana. Supervised by Audubon Delta’s Director of Conservation Science, the Biological Assistant will collaborate with other field staff and graduate students involved in the Urban Native Greens and Beach-nesting Bird projects to target individual birds for capture, support nest monitoring efforts, and resight color-banded birds.
This position is expected to work 40 hours per week for four months between April and July 2025. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of three references with your application. The candidate review process will begin December 15, 2024.
Compensation:
$20.00 / hour
Additional Job Description
Essential Functions
Catch birds and deploy geolocators without supervision using leg-loop harnesses and backpack harnesses on passerines and near passerines.
Search for color-banded birds and monitor nests as part of the Urban Native Greens and Beach-nesting Bird projects.
Enter data in a timely manner.
Travel 4-5 days per week to field site locations across south Louisiana.
Qualifications and Experience
Must have completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, Agricultural Sciences, or a related field.
Must have demonstrated experience banding birds without supervision, have a basic understanding of aging and sexing criteria of a variety of species, and have working knowledge of target-netting techniques.
Experience attaching geolocators, transmitters, or other similar tracking devices is a plus.
Must be willing to work long hours outside under physically demanding conditions (hot, cold, biting insects, etc.).
Must be able to walk over a mile through various swamps, wetland, and coastal habitats, while carrying up to 20 pounds of field gear.
Must have strong organizational skills and great attention to detail.
Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.
Experience using Microsoft applications (e.g., Outlook, Excel, Word) for organizing workflows and entering data is required.
Experience driving ATVs is a plus.
A valid driver’s license is required.
Must live in, or be willing to temporarily move to, southern Louisiana.
EEO Statement
The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.
Accessibility Statement
The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
Salary : $20
