The Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS) is seeking highly motivated applicants for a Field Technician position working with island foxes on San Clemente Island, California. This is a full-time positions beginning June 2019.  Primary duties will include:

  • Capturing and handling island foxes to collect mark-recapture data, gathering biological specimens, and attaching radio collars.
  • Tracking and monitoring approximately 60 foxes from fixed wing aircraft and via ground telemetry to collect known-fate survival data, monitor for disease introduction, and recover mortalities.
  • Assisting in veterinary care of injured or sick foxes.
  • Duties will also include data entry, attending meetings, coordinating with federal agency personnel, assisting in field station upkeep, and working cooperatively with other IWS projects/personnel on the island.

Employees work 10 days on island, and then take 4 off (off island).  Additional information regarding IWS research and SCI is available on the IWS website (www.iws.org).  Note: No pets are allowed on SCI.

Location: San Clemente Island, near San Diego, California, is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy as a training facility and personnel will be required to follow established military protocols and rules, including keeping a clean and organized work and living space.

Qualifications: All candidates should have a B.S. or more advanced degree in Wildlife Management, Conservation Biology, or a related field.  The Field Technician should have skills and experience safely handing mammals, conducting radio telemetry, administering basic veterinary care, and with data entry and basic database management. Any experience with capture-recapture analyses, known-fates analyses, preparing scientific publications and presentations, producing reports and GIS maps, and staff supervision is a bonus.  Experience operating ATV’s and full-sized, 4-wheel-drive trucks over rocky and muddy roads is preferred.  Employment is conditional upon insurability with IWS, so a clean driving record is essential. This position requires considerable hiking, including hauling materials and equipment to and from remote sites. Applicants should be sure-footed, safe, and be prepared to hike long distances in steep, rocky, cactus-covered terrain. Applicants should enjoy living as part of a small research community in a busy field station, interacting with biologists working on other projects, and working with military personnel and members of other organizations who may have varying missions, opinions, and personalities.  Additionally, applicants must be willing to participate in the day-to-day upkeep of a busy field station, including cleaning work vehicles and shared kitchen and office space.

Compensation: Hourly rate of $14.25/hr, however; scheduled overtime results in average gross earnings of approximately $3,100/month or $37,200/year.

In addition, room and board will be provided while working on the island; off-island housing during days off is not provided. Flights on and off the island are provided at no cost. Benefits include employer-paid health insurance, sick leave, paid vacation, paid holidays, and an optional 403(b) retirement plan.

HOW TO APPLY

Application Procedure: Submit resume and cover letter, as a single PDF file, highlighting relevant experience. Provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least three (3) professional references. No phone inquiries.  Please email documents to Andrew Bridges at (foxjobs AT iws.org) with the subject line of “Field Technician – San Clemente Fox Project”.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified applicant is identified. Ideally, qualified applicants will be identified during April 2019, and the selected candidates should be eligible to begin work in mid-late June 2019. However, for a well-qualified candidate the start date may be negotiable. All employment offers are contingent on the insurability of the applicant by IWS and applicants will be asked to provide information to verify their driving record.  In addition, IWS will conduct a pre-hire background check and the Navy will perform a post-hire background check before issuing a base access credential.