California Condor Monitoring Technician (The Peregrine Fund, Vermilion Cliffs)

The Great Basin Institute is working cooperatively with The Peregrine Fund’s California Condor Reintroduction Program based in Vermilion Cliffs, AZ to support the greater California Condor Recovery Program. Two (2) Monitoring Technicians will be selected to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer to assist in management of the free flying population of California Condors in northern Arizona and southern Utah. This is a 6-month commitment, with the potential of an additional 6 months if both parties should agree to continue the relationship, during which volunteer member will work in the Grand Canyon ecoregion.

Selected applicants will track this population throughout its range using radio telemetry and by ground-truthing GPS transmitter data. The volunteer will observe condor behavior at feeding sites, roosts and nests. The applicant will have the opportunity to assist in the handling of condors during annual trapping efforts. The Peregrine Fund will provide training to gain experience with condor specific trapping and handling techniques. Field work requires the ability to work independently and as a team; work and sometimes camp in remote areas during inclement weather or harsh environmental conditions; travel via ATV, 4WD vehicle, or by foot, in steep mountainous terrain; carry 50 lb carcasses to feeding sites; keep detailed field notes; follow data collection protocols for the collection and entry of accurate and consistent data; and assist in routine office work. 

Contract Timeline:
This is a 6-month AmeriCorps commitment, starting in late-March/early-April but we can be flexible for the right person.

Location:
The Peregrine Fund’s field headquarters for the Condor Reintroduction Program is located in the small town of Vermilion Cliffs, AZ, located two hours north of Flagstaff, 30 miles south from the Utah border and a 45-minute drive from Page, AZ, where the nearest grocery store is located. Vermilion Cliffs is considered to be high desert at 4,000 ft elevation and boasts incredible scenery as well as a variety of weather conditions spanning heat in excess of 100 degrees and winters with below freezing temperatures.

Compensation and Benefits:
This is an AmeriCorps volunteer position.

• Total Living Allowance: Up to $5,687.50 based on length of term (split up bi-weekly throughout term)
• Education Award: $3,247.50 upon successful completion of full-service term. (May be used for past, present or future educational expenses, including payment of qualifying federal student loans. Loan forbearance and accrued interest payment on qualifying student loans is also available)
• Free on-site housing provided by The Peregrine Fund
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance provided at no cost to participants (premiums paid for by GBI)
• Eligibility for prodeals

Additional benefits of the AmeriCorps Program:

• Snap benefits Eligibility
• Student Loan Forbearance: If you are currently paying on any federal student loans, you have the option to put those loans into forbearance during your time as an AmeriCorps volunteer, allowing you to cease payments while in service.
• Interest Accrual Repayment: As an AmeriCorps alumnus, you will be eligible to have the National Service Trust pay all or a portion of the interest that accumulated on your qualified student loan(s) during your term of service. These payments are made in addition to the Education Award and are not deducted from your Education Award balance. To be eligible for this service, the loan must have been placed in forbearance for the service period, and you must have successfully completed a term of service and received an Education Award.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences (e.g., biology, ecology, wildlife management, or related field) or coursework and related experience;
• Previous experience following protocols for field sampling and data collection and related experience in data entry, collection and management;
• Understanding of issues related to threatened and endangered species, and familiarity with the ecology of the study region preferred;
• Previous experience in using radio telemetry to locate free-ranging animals preferred;
• Experience in the use of GPS units for navigation and collecting spatial data;
• Possess strong organizational skills;
• Tolerant of working in variable weather conditions, willing and able to work outdoors in adverse weather conditions, and able to hike 2-5+ miles daily on uneven terrain while carrying a pack sometimes exceeding 50 lbs.;
• Willingness and ability to camp at primitive sites for several consecutive nights;
• Ability to work productively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals and follow safe working practices;
• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record; 
• Experience safely operating 4WD vehicles and ATVs; and
• Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime or the equivalent of two full-time education awards), (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and federal criminal background checks, (4) adhere to the rules, regulations and code of conduct as specified in the Member Service Agreement; and (5) not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.