Oregon State University is hiring 4 temporary (3-4 month) positions to spend a summer collecting valuable scientific data for research projects in the beautiful and remote Oregon desert. Successful applicants will primarily work on a collaborative research project assessing the effects of grazing on sensitive wildlife species.

Technicians will be housed in provided shared staff housing located at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range (NGBER) approximately 35 miles west of Burns, Oregon near Riley, Oregon, and will help to implement and monitor a replicated grazing experiment assessing the influence of two grazing regimes and grazing exclusion on the reproductive success of sagebrush-obligate songbirds, potential nesting habitat for sensitive avian species, and plant community composition and structure. These technicians will primarily assist the principal investigator with treatment application, songbird point count and nest surveys, sample processing, vegetation sampling, plant species identification, and data entry and summarization.  Successful applicants will potentially work on other collaborative research projects throughout eastern Oregon potentially in the Pueblo Mountain Wilderness Study Area, Steens Mountain, Owyhees, or Hart Mountain areas.

Successful candidates will gain outstanding theoretical and practical training and experience in plant community and wildlife habitat ecology, conservation, and management in the northern Great Basin. These positions are primarily field based and require long hours of hiking and data collection throughout Oregon’s high desert.

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience/training in songbird point counts (identifying birds by site and sound), nest searching and monitoring, or experience using wildlife camera technology or temperature loggers (ibuttons)
  • Courses/experience in natural resources, rangeland science, wildlife, botany, plant science, or related field.
  • Experience/training in field identification of plant species, preferably Great Basin
  • Experience/training in vegetation sampling techniques, such as line-point intercept, biomass sampling, visual obscurity estimation with Robel pole, and transect and ground photo monitoring.
  • Experience living or working in rural/remote locations
  • Experience with excel and use of portable tablets for data entry in the field
  • General knowledge of computers and skills for use of word processing and data entry.
  • Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.
  • Ability to carry out tasks independently and part of a team.
  • Experience with driving 4WD vehicles and GPS units.
  • Ability to physically hike ten miles or more a day and perform job duties from 0°-105° F in desert environments.
  • Ability to safely lift and carry up to 50lbs.
  • Possess a current, valid driver’s license. Driver’s license required to commute to remote research/demonstration project locations. A driving history for the past 3 years from the issuing state’s Dept. of Motor Vehicles is required in order to drive University vehicles.
  • Ability to learn quickly and collect extremely accurate data efficiently.

Position Duties

This will primarily be a field based job involving irregular work hours and/or days and will potentially include camping in remote locations. These positions are physically demanding, require living and working in isolated areas without internet or reliable cell coverage and with a small group of people. Work will consist of roughly 85?ta/sample collection and processing in the field and lab and 15?ta entry and summarization.

HOW TO APPLYPlease submit a cover letter and resume to Vanessa.schroeder@oregonstate.edu with Wildlife/Habitat Technician in the subject line. Applications without this subject line may be missed and might not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous, rolling basis until all positions are filled. Start dates may vary by technician, ranging from mid to late April. Please indicate your availability in your email or cover letter.