California Condor Monitoring Technicians

The Great Basin Institute is working cooperatively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex based in Ventura, CA to support the California Condor Recovery Program.  One or two Monitoring Technicians will be selected to serve as AmeriCorps volunteers to assist in management of the free flying population of California Condors in southern California. These are 6-month commitments during which volunteer interns will receive a living allowance of $39 per day of work while working on and around one of two wildlife refuges central to condor activity in Southern CA.

This volunteer opportunity focuses on management of the free flying population of California Condors in Southern California. Selected applicants will track this population throughout its range using radio telemetry and by ground-truthing GPS transmitter data. Volunteers will observe condor behavior at feeding sites, roosts and nests. Field work requires the ability to work independently and as a team; work and sometimes camp in remote areas during inclement weather or harsh environmental conditions; travel via ATV, 4WD vehicle, or by foot, in steep mountainous terrain; carry 50lb carcasses to feeding sites; keep detailed field notes; follow data collection protocols for the collection and entry of accurate and consistent data; and assist in routine office work Monitoring Technicians will track this population throughout its range using radio telemetry and by ground-truthing GPS transmitter data.

Timeline and Compensation: 

• 6-month appointment beginning February 2015, or upon availability
• $390 per diem for each 10-day service period

• Education Award*: $2,882
• USFWS housing provided during 10-day service period

*AmeriCorps Education Award may be used for past, present or future education experiences, including payment of qualifying federal student loans. Loan forbearance and accrued interest payment on qualifying student loans is also available.

Location: The Hopper Mountain NWR Complex manages four National Wildlife Refuges, and is headquartered in Ventura, California. It serves as the lead office for the California Condor Recovery Program (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/hopper_mountain/). Located in the southern Los Padres National Forest region, Hopper Mountain NWR is 70 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 70 miles east of Santa Barbara.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences (e.g., biology, ecology, wildlife management, or related field) or coursework and related experience;
• Previous experience following protocols for field sampling and data collection and related experience in data entry, collection and management;
• Previous experience in using radio telemetry to locate free-ranging animals preferred;
• Experience in the use of GPS units for navigation and collecting spatial data;
• Understanding of issues related to threatened and endangered species, and familiarity with the ecology of the study region preferred;
• Possess strong organizational skills;
• Tolerant of working in variable weather conditions, willing and able to work outdoors in adverse weather conditions, and able to hike 2-5+ miles daily on uneven terrain while carrying a pack sometimes exceeding 50 lbs.;
• Willingness and ability to camp at primitive sites for several consecutive nights;
• Ability to work productively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals and follow safe working practices;
• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;
• Experience safely operating 4WD vehicles and ATVs; and
• Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime, or equivalent of two full-time terms of service), and (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) and federal criminal background checks.

How to Apply: Applicants should forward a cover letter, their résumé, and a list of three professional references to Amy Gladding, Great Basin Institute Human Resources Coordinator at agladding@thegreatbasininstitute.org. Please include where you found this position posted. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone inquiries, please.

This position is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religion. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.