Temporary Field Technician
The National Ecological Observatory Network (sponsored by the National Science Foundation and Managed by Battelle) seeks applicants for 18 seasonal field ecology technician positions, working out of our Land O’Lakes, WI office.
- Most of these positions will focus on terrestrial ecology, with employees collecting data and samples related to either plant ecology, soils, animal ecology, and aquatic ecology.
- Best-best qualified candidates will have had coursework and/or employment experience pursing one or more of these fields.
Responsibilities: All positions require outdoor data and sample collection in forests and wetlands as well as some basic laboratory work (for example, weighing samples, microscopy, measuring pH of samples) indoors. Most employees will participate in approximate half of the activities in the following list:
- Surveys plant diversity,
- Inventory of forest tree communities,
- Evaluate plant phenological change,
- Measure of coarse down wood,
- Field collections of forest canopy foliage, litterfall, understory plants, and belowground biomass.
- Field collections and laboratory processing of soil, including pH measurement, soil moisture, and nitrogen extractions,
- Collection and identification ground beetles
- Surveys of mosquito and tick populations
- Mark-recapture surveys of small mammals using live animal trapping, with ear tagging, tissue sampling, and blood draws,
- Water sampling and alkalinity titration,
- Collection of phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic macrophytes, and invertebrates.
- Assessment of lake bathymetry using echo-location technology
- Fish community surveys using netting and electrofishing techniques.
Qualifications: Best qualified employees will have
- Coursework and/or work experience in some of the above areas.
- Data collection experience in environmental science.
- Ability to work in small teams.
- Willingness to work outdoors and engage in a variety of shifting tasks.
Training: Provided training will address
- NEON field protocols,
- First Aid, CPR, and workplace safety,
- Battelle employee policies.
Salaries start at $15.75/hour.
In 2022, we aim to start staff on in April and early May, with position terms ending between mid-September and late October. Applications accepted until 3/31/2022. Interviews with applicants will begin in January and offers will be made beginning at the end of January.