Position Website and Application Information
Status: Seasonal Part Time, Hourly; Non-Exempt
Reports to: Director of Conservation Evidence (Teague O’Mara)
Salary: $16 -$18 per hour
Bat Conservation International (BCI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ending bat extinctions worldwide, seeks 1-2 Field Research Technician(s) to join BCI’s Science Team from April – October 2024.
The Field Research Technician will join a dynamic organization and a highly progressive team, reporting to the Director of Conservation Evidence. The Field Research Technician will be responsible conducting fieldwork for bats in southern Illinois and collecting field data that include bat acoustic data, insect trapping, and vegetation monitoring. Fieldwork will take place on power transmission right of ways between St. Louis, MO and Carbondale, IL. The Field Research Technician will be expected to work 10 – 40 hours per week, with 40 hours per week more likely during the summer months (May – August).
The Field Research Technician must be highly collaborative and enjoy working in a mission- and results-driven environment where they can bring their whole self to work and contribute to positive ecological and social change. This position is ideal for an early career scientist interested in applied conservation with interest and experience conducting bat research and bat monitoring efforts, including conducting acoustic field surveys for bats, managing data, and communicating with diverse stakeholders. BCI is a distributed organization with staff across the United States and this is a remote position, but preference is to be located in or near Carbondale, Illinois to meet fieldwork needs.
Position Description:
The Field Research Technician will:
- Execute fieldwork for bat monitoring and research in the southern Illinois. This includes setting up and monitoring passive acoustic monitors (‘bat detectors’), conducting insect sampling, and conducting vegetation monitoring;
- Ensure data quality and timely transmission to partners;
- Contribute to BCI’s research efforts by ensuring design, data collection, data management, and result dissemination is rigorous and timely;
- Collaborate effectively with BCI’s science and conservation teams and external partners.
Ideal Candidate Qualifications:
Required Knowledge/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as biology, ecology, wildlife, conservation, or a related field;
- Demonstrated interest and experience in bat research and applied conservation;
- Ability to follow written protocols and comfort to ask questions and clarify instructions;
- Demonstrated ability to manage data in spreadsheets and comfort entering data in digital format (e.g., enter data in Survey123, competency in Microsoft Excel);
- Personal transportation and ability to travel to research sites. Mileage will be reimbursed based on the federal rate; mileage may be capped depending on distance from home to field site;
- Ability to walk moderate distances while carrying 10-20 lbs of equipment;
- Ability to handle confidential information with sensitivity;
- Valid U.S. driver’s License
Preferred Knowledge/Experience
- Experience conducting fieldwork or working outside for extended periods of time;
- Experience identifying vegetation and conducting vegetation surveys in the Midwestern United States;
- Ability to work and communicate effectively with all levels of staff, government agencies, industry, landowners, and other partners;
Work Characteristics and Competencies:
- Strong interpersonal skills, approachability, and creative problem-solving;
- Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and self-starter;
- Organizational and time management skills;
- Highly collaborative with a growth mindset and enjoys a challenge;
- Willingness to be flexible and adaptive;
- Highly curious with love for learning new things;
- Interest in working with a remote team and interacting over video conference platforms.
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)
BCI is deeply committed to JEDI and embeds JEDI-centered practices in the conservation work and organizational culture. BCI is determined to be an employer of choice and believes that the best organizational performance will come from a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment. Read more about our JEDI statement at www.batcon.org/about-us/justice-equity-diversity-and-inclusion/.
To Apply:
We encourage you to apply if you have 70% or more of the desired qualifications.
Individuals interested in applying should upload their curriculum vitae or resume and cover letter to the application portal. In the cover letter, please explain how your work and lived experiences have prepared you to be successful in this position, what you find compelling about this job, and how you (and your career) will benefit from this position.
Applications are due by midnight on Friday, February 23. Interviews will be held in early-March with a tentative start date of April 8, 2024.
