What are the responsibilities and job description for the Black Bear Technician - short-term, no degree required position at Sul Ross State University?
required
Location
Alpine
Department
Borderlands Research Institute
Job No.
Posting Date
12/19/2023
End Date
Until Filled
Yes
Appointment Date
09/01/2025
Salary
$18/hour
Required
- Progress towards or completion of a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology, biology, ecology, or closely related field.
- Ability to lift and carry over 50 pounds and hike over rocky, steep, and rough terrain in remote locations.
- Possess a valid U.S. driver’s license and the ability to safely drive a 4WD vehicle through rugged conditions.
- Ability to implement and adhere to established data collection protocols.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate well with coworkers, supervisor, state personnel, and private landowners.
- Ability to maintain a positive and mature attitude.
- Must be able to thrive in remote desert locations with little access to certain amenities.
Preferred
- Prior experience setting and maintaining hair snares and camera traps
- Prior experience capturing and collaring bears, or other large carnivores
- Familiarity with safety in hot/arid climates
- Experience with chemical immobilization
- Basic mechanical skills
Staffing Reason
Institutional
Primary Responsibilities
Technician(s) are needed to support a black bear research project in the west Texas. After a 30 year absence, black bears are starting to recolonize this part of Texas. Researchers with the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University have initiated a multi-year study exploring many aspects of the recolonizing population’s ecology.
Technician will work under the direction of the project graduate students and supervisory researchers. Duties may include the ability to assist with trapping logistics and animal handling, running camera traps, running hair snares, data collection and organization, and sample processing. Additionally, technicians will have the opportunity to assist with concurrent black bear capture and collaring efforts.
Position(s) will start on September 1st, 2025, and will last for 3 months. The position may require long/early days and weekend work. Applicants are expected to be self-motivated, work well independently as well as in a team, and be able to follow instructions. Applicants are expected to be able to effectively navigate rough terrain both on foot and by vehicle (UTV & 4×4 truck).
- Start date: September 1, 2025
- End date: November 30, 2025
- Pay: $18/hr
- For more information, contact Matt Hewitt, matthew.hewitt@sulross.edu
Other Information
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
It is the policy of Sul Ross State University to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons in accordance with their individual, job related qualifications and without consideration of race, creed, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and ancestry. Equal employment opportunities shall be afforded in all personnel actions or decisions including, but not necessarily limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, upgrading, promotion, demotion, termination and salary. Retaliation is prohibited against a person who opposes a discriminatory practice, files a charge, testifies, assists or participates in an investigative proceeding or hearing.
Notice of Availability of the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report
The Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at https://srinfo.sulross.edu/udps/
The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.
A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. If you would like to receive a paper copy, you can contact the Office of Student Life, located on the Alpine Campus in the Morgan University Center, Room 211 or you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling 432-837-8424 or emailing stulife@sulross.edu
About SRSU
Sul Ross State University Alpine Campus is in the Scenic Davis Mountains of West Texas, is a member of the Texas State University System, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees, and has an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students of campus in Alpine, Texas. At an elevation of 4,480 feet, and on the periphery of the Chihuahuan Desert, Alpine enjoys mild winters and cool summers. Davis Mountains State Park, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park are all within one to three hours driving distance from Alpine.
The SRSU campuses in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde comprise Rio Grande College. RGC offers upper-level courses leading to bachelor’s degrees as well as master’s degree programs and works closely with its partner institution, Southwest Texas Junior College, to provide a seamless transition to RGC for their students. All RGC students hold an Associate degree from an accredited institution or they have completed 42 semester credit hours of transferrable work.
More information is available regarding Sul Ross State University and position openings See http://www.sulross.edu our website.
Is Background Check Required?
Yes
Salary : $18
