Field technician wanted: researching American pikas in a remarkable setting

Clark College is hereby advertising for a temporary field technician to participate in research related to American pikas, the ecosystems they inhabit, and their relationships to climate, across a diverse landscape. The technician will travel to remote locations in the Columbia River Gorge (s. WA, n. OR) to retrieve, deploy, and download data from microclimatic sensors, and record observations of field conditions (including performing surveys for pikas). Although breathtakingly scenic, accessing these locations is physically demanding, often requiring sustained hiking in steep, rocky locations. In particular, logistics involve parking at the nearest trailhead, day-hiking to locations up to several miles from the vehicle, and arriving at exact sensor locations, which can be up to 1100 m in elevation above the vehicle. Accessing some locations may require overnight backpacking. Equipment and instruction in field techniques will be provided to the technician. Based in the Gorge, the technician will be paid $14.30 per hour. Although the primary requirement of this position is the collection of field data, there may be opportunities to continue involvement with this and related research. The position is envisioned to encompass 6 weeks of work: ~3 weeks in late May or early June, and ~3 weeks in August or early September. Additional work (data entry, etc.) could extend into October or early November, should performance merit this.

Please see qualifications below and, if interested, please express your interest in this position by providing carefully prepared copies (concatenated into 1 file) of: 1) a resume, 2) all your undergraduate and graduate transcripts; 3) a cover letter addressing the qualifications below and your ‘fit’ to the position, and 4) contact information for three or more individuals that can verify your qualifications and character. At your earliest convenience, please send the materials, and/or any questions, to project investigators Dr. Erik Beever (USGS; [email protected]; (406) 994-7670), Steven Clark (Clark College; [email protected]; (360) 992-2203), and Johanna Varner (University of Utah; [email protected]; (617) 230-2615). Expressions of interest will be continuously accepted, but we prefer that you please express your interest by 28 May 2014. If no well qualified individual is identified by this date, offers will be made to well-qualified applicants on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Requirements:
• Ability to hike on rockslides with a moderately heavy backpack in steep and rugged areas.
• Familiar with navigation by topographic maps, compass, and GPS
• Comfortable working and camping in backcountry locations; solid decision-making in these contexts
• Critical-thinking skills, attention to detail, and positive attitude
• Valid driver’s license with a good driving record

Desirable qualifications:
• Experience in collection, recording, entry, and quality-checking of field data, and identification of Pacific Northwest plant species 
• Interest in ecology, wildlife, climate, physical geography, and scientific research
•  Experience with GIS, remote sensing, statistics, and/or wildlife biology

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