Seasonal Research Technician

The White Memorial Conservation Center and Foundation are in Litchfield and Morris, Connecticut. White Memorial is guided by four principles: Research, Conservation, Recreation, and Education. The Research program focuses on conserving native biodiversity, studying the ecology of the region, and restoring habitats. This job involves working with various wildlife conservation and other natural resource monitoring projects throughout the summer season on a 4000-acre wildlife refuge in northwestern Connecticut. Projects include the following organisms: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Working occasionally in forests, wetlands, and aquatic ecosystems. Responsibilities include data collection, specimen collection, and working with and maintaining technical equipment. Prior experience with protocols for passive acoustic recording for bats and water quality monitoring will be prioritized. Field equipment such as GPS units and other digital instruments will be used and must be maintained. This is a 40-hour per week paid position working Monday through Friday with occasional Saturdays and dawn/dusk hours, between early-May and late-September. Schedule can vary by applicant’s availability. This is an hourly paid position ($16.50/hr.). Housing is available.

The Seasonal Research Technician reports directly to the Research Director.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in biology, ecology, natural resource management, environmental science, or other related discipline.
• Familiar with all Connecticut wildlife species, including but not limited to birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Proficiency in identifying these species will be prioritized but the ability to efficiently learn diagnostic characters used to identify all species by direct observation or by evidence such as call/song, tracks, scat, or other sign is important. Knowledgeable of management and conservation initiatives with all wildlife species within the state of Connecticut and southern New England.
• Familiarity with standard protocols for data collection in a variety of environments.
• Familiar with biological field research protocols and procedures.
• Able to draft short reports describing technical work for a general audience.
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Be able to drive a pick-up truck (automatic transmission and occasionally in 4WD off road)
• Be able to collaborate with volunteers and the public
• Capable of working independently and as part of a team, cheerfully in all weather conditions, and with biting insects/ticks.
• Able to work with Microsoft Office Suite software and capable of learning other platforms to suit the needs of the position.
• Familiar with the proper usage and maintenance of field equipment.
• Familiarity with the proper operation of gasoline powered watercraft and canoe is valuable.

Work Environment

• Must be able to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Position involves functioning in both field and office environments.
• Ability to work outdoors, in all weather conditions, on varying terrain, with biting insect and ticks, potentially exposed to poison ivy, sun, and other environmental hazards, early morning and late evening hours, with or without accommodation.
• Prior knowledge of working with wildlife and the health risks that it poses such as disease transmission is important.
• The office environment has moderate noise levels and is a non-smoking environment.
• The ability to function and thrive in role of internal consultant with a complex, multi-goal (research, conservation, education, recreation) organization with diverse professional staff (administration, education, operation, marketing, and public relations) is crucial.

Physical Demands: 

• Must be able to carry field equipment at times, with or without accommodation. Must occasionally lift and/or move up to fifty pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Hearing abilities for this job include the ability to perceive speech communication, sound detection and localization of calling birds, amphibians, etc.
• Willingness to work during early morning (pre-dawn) and evening (nighttime) hours.