Seasonal biological technicians are needed to help with Iowa’s Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring (MSIM) program. Applicants will work as part of a research and monitoring team to collect information on mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, insects, and mussels on public lands throughout Iowa. Technicians will focus primarily on mammal, herptile, and insect related surveys. Specific job duties include (but are not limited to) identifying, handling, and marking small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, maintaining a variety of traps for small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, conducting surveys for and handling butterflies and odonates, identifying and measuring plant species, data entry, and assisting with other tasks as needed such as bird surveys using visual and auditory cues. Field work for all positions will be conducted throughout the state of Iowa with significant travel and some overnight travel a possibility. Applicants must have the physical ability to work long hours outdoors, walk long distances, carry field equipment in rough terrain, and wade through water.
Positions are temporary, full-time (maximum of 40 hours/week) from approximately 22 March to 15 October 2021, but we will also consider positions from approximately 10 May to 20 August 2021. Salary is $10-14/hr dependent upon qualifications and experience. No overtime will be provided. Vehicles will be provided for work-related travel. Housing will not be provided.
Applicants should be graduated from, currently enrolled in, or on break between semesters of college with a degree in (or pursuing a degree in) wildlife ecology, biology, or a closely related natural resource field. Qualified applicants must be able to work independently or as part of a team, have a strong work ethic, attention to detail, be able to travel overnight for work-related duties, and be able to work during diverse weather conditions and on weekends, holidays, nights, and evenings as required. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess a valid driver’s license, and pass an ISU motor vehicle check to be able to drive a state vehicle. Preferred qualifications include possessing a B.S. degree in wildlife ecology, biology or a related field, and experience with at least one taxonomic group (mammals, herptiles, odonates, butterflies, fish, mussels, or plants).
COVID-19: The MSIM program takes the current COVID-19 pandemic seriously. We successfully managed the 2020 field season and were able to adapt our protocols and procedures to maintain a safe work environment. Crews are expected to follow both Iowa State University and Iowa Department of Natural Resources safety guidelines, which are subject to change as time progresses.