Avian conservation technician based on Oahu, Hawaii
Pacific Rim Conservation is hiring a seasonal (Feb-Sept 2023) avian conservation technician who will assist with several projects aimed at conservation of native Hawaiian birds. The position will primarily involve three projects: 1) management activities at a predator exclusion fence that protects translocated seabirds at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge, 2) surveys for the Hawaiian Petrel and Newell’s Shearwater on Oahu, and 3) nest protection of the endangered Oahu Elepaio.
We are interested in enthusiastic biologists with experience in predator control, habitat management and forest bird monitoring. The successful candidate should have a proven ability to conduct field work in challenging locations.
For more information on the species and projects, visit www.pacificrimconservation.org. For detailed position benefits, please scroll down to the bottom of the application.
To apply, please fill out the information below. If you have questions about the application, or the position, please e-mail:
Lindsay Young- lindsay@pacificrimconservation.org.
Applications are due by January 1, 2023 but will be reviewed as received.
Applicants must be legal to work in the US.
To apply, please fill out an application here: https://forms.gle/Pv67rmjSiasC8Cfj9
If you have questions about the application, or the position, please e-mail:
Lindsay Young- lindsay at pacificrimconservation dot org.
This position is based on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii and will primarily be field based (approximately 4 days per week) with weekly data entry and administrative work (~1 day per week). When not in the field, candidates are expected to either work from home. All candidates will be expected to keep accurate field data, enter data into a database, and help write technical reports summarizing the outcomes.
Work at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge in Kahuku will be the bulk of this position. Duties will include predator control, artificial burrow maintenance, searching for and monitoring seabird nests, removal of invasive plants, and predator-proof fence assessments. Tasks will require working in hot and humid conditions with little- to no shade. Predator control requires safely handling dead rodents and occasionally dispatching rodents using humane methods. Removal of invasive plants requires application of herbicide following all safety measures. Work at the refuge will be 1-4 days per week from Feb-Sep.
For surveys of Newell’s Shearwaters and Hawaiian Petrels work, duties will include: assisting with deploying and servicing remote sound recorders in montane areas. Some evening auditory surveys requiring overnight camping in the mountains may occur. Work will require hiking long distances (up to 15 miles) through steep, wet, and rough terrain.
Work with the Oahu Elepaio project will be primarily assisting lead biologists with deployment of rodent traps starting in February and clean up/removal of traps in July. Interested and/or qualified candidates may have the opportunity to assist with searching for and monitoring elepaio nests and resighting color banded adults. Elepaio work will be conducted in Wailupe Valley and Pia Valley. This work requires hiking long distances across steep and rough terrain. Work sites can be very wet and thus, full of mosquitoes.
A personal vehicle is required for driving to the work sites but a company vehicle will be provided for all work conducted on dirt roads. The duties and work location are expected to vary throughout the year according to project needs and species breeding cycles. The technician will be supervised by a PRC Wildlife Biologist but the technician will be expected to work independently at times. Candidate must be able to keep organized and accurate field data and enter data into a spreadsheet or database in a timely manner. Additional duties may include assisting with other PRC projects and other administrative duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in a biological or natural resources related field. Candidate currently working towards a degree may be considered.
Experience: At least one year of experience in conducting biological field research. Field courses or outdoor experience may be considered.
Abilities/Knowledge: Basic knowledge of resource conservation and avian ecology as demonstrated through university level coursework, previous experience, and/or primary-authored technical reports and publications. Ability to collect and enter detailed field data is required.
Skills: Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license. Ability to drive, or learn to drive, a 4-wheel drive vehicle on rough terrain. Ability to obtain first aid certification.
Physical Requirements: Ability to hike over rough terrain in hot, humid conditions carrying a backpack weighing up to 35 pounds for up to 8 hours per day.
Desirable Qualifications:
Experience nest searching, resighting bird bands with binoculars, and handling wild birds preferred. Familiarity with the natural and cultural history of Hawaii encouraged. Preference will be given to candidates that have experience identifying native and non-native plants and animals on Oahu. Navigation and plotting locations using a GPS is desirable.
1. Employment period.The employment period for this position is 01 February 2023 through 15 September 2023, with the possibility of extension pending funding and performance. Employment is considered to be at will.
2. Salary. $20 per hour.
3. Health insurance. All employees working more than 20 hours per week for a minimum of one month are entitled to health and dental insurance offered through the University Health Alliance. The cost of the insurance is shared between PRC (98.5%) and the employee (1.5%) for the primary employee. Employees wishing to add family members will pay 75% of the cost for additional members. Please see the health insurance information handout for plan descriptions, policies, and costs.
4. Work Schedule, Work Week, and Work Hours: Work schedule (for 1.0 FTE) will be 40 hours per week but can range from 20-40 hours per week for the right candidate. The work days will be Monday-Friday, but days can be flexible once training has concluded. The employee will be expected to work independently from home when not in the field.
5. Vacation and holidays observed. This position is entitled to 2 days of vacation during the employment term. PRC observes all holidays observed by the State of Hawaii as well as the Friday after Thanksgiving; those dates can be found here. Any vacation leave not used by the termination of employment will be lost.
6. Pay schedule. Paychecks shall be deposited via direct deposit into employee’s bank account on the 15th and 30th of each month with the exception of February which will be the 15th and 28th of the month.
7. Sick Leave. This position is entitled to 2 days of paid sick leave during the employment period. Sick leave may not be used as vacation, and any sick leave not used by the termination of employment will be lost.
About Pacific Rim Conservation
Our mission is to maintain and restore native bird diversity, populations, and ecosystems in Hawaii and the Pacific Region. We work together with local communities, government agencies, and other conservation organizations to achieve our goals. We are a ‘boots on the ground’ organization. Throughout all of our work, we actively conduct research to understand avian biology, and the ecosystem changes and benefits to inform future conservation actions. To date, we have published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and had our work featured in media outlets such as the New York Times, National Geographic, and the BBC.
Pacific Rim Conservation was founded in 2006 in response to a need for research-based management on native species, particularly birds, throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. For nine years we filled that niche operating as a small business, then in June 2015 we converted from a business to a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in order to better reflect our goals and to ensure that as much of our funding as possible was used to achieve our conservation projects.
We are an equal opportunity employer who doesn’t discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability.
