Life Science Technician

Salary: $35,000 to $40,000. Full‑time position.

Work schedule:

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

Special Instructions: A satisfactory driving record is required to pass a D.O.D. background check.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR at hrweb.

• Title: Life Science Technician
• FLSA status: Non‑Exempt
• Full‑time equivalent: 1.00

Requires technical knowledge in the field acquired through an apprenticeship, a 2‑year degree, or a professional certificate. Please contact your Human Resources office for an evaluation of education/experience in lieu of the required minimum qualifications.

• B.S. and/or M.S. degree in a wildlife field or biological sciences.

The field technician will provide critical field support for a recently funded project focused on spotted turtles. Field activities include aquatic trapping, handling and marking of turtles, blood collection and sample processing, and radio‑telemetry at two installations in Virginia. The technician will also have regular data entry and management responsibilities and may occasionally assist other project personnel at other installations in VA/MD.

The person in this position will be an important liaison with the project PIs from three performing organizations, as well as natural resource staff and other personnel at two installations in Virginia. A high degree of professionalism and excellent communication skills are essential. As the only project personnel based in the Chesapeake Bay area, candidates should be highly independent, self‑motivated and well‑organized.

• Competencies:
  • Highly organized and able to solve problems efficiently in the field (e.g., mechanical issues, logistics challenges).
  • Deploy aquatic traps, monitor them, and safely handle aquatic reptiles.
  • Perform radio‑telemetry, search for missing animals, and identify suitable access points for radio‑tracking as animals move across the landscape.
  • Adapt schedule or routine to accommodate changing weather conditions, military training schedules, changing locations of animals, and periodic field work assistance by other project personnel.
  • Be competent in troubleshooting and managing field equipment.
• KSA’s:
  • Field experience with turtles, preferably aquatic turtles—including aquatic trapping (hoop nets, promar and/or fyke nets), marking, VHF radiotelemetry, and blood collection.
  • Experience with home‑range and movement analysis is a bonus (preferably in R but within GIS programs such as ArcGIS or QGIS also acceptable).
  • Strong communication skills and demonstrated timely completion of deliverables.
  • Demonstrated experience and interest in scientific communication, especially writing, is strongly preferred.
  • Ability to pass background check for work on Department of Defense installations and have a safe driving record.

• Ability to lift 40 lb to a height of 4 ft.
• Walk long distances between wetlands and safely navigate shallow wetlands in hip waders, often under hot and humid conditions.
• Drive several hours to reach sites in the mid‑Atlantic region, operating 4WD field vehicles off pavement in sandy or muddy conditions.
• Work outdoors under diverse, sometimes extreme field conditions.
• Work long days in field under challenging conditions (traversing wetlands in waders under hot, humid conditions).
• Work independently in a remote setting, with potential exposure to varying weather conditions.

• Radio‑telemetry (45%):
  • Radio‑track aquatic turtles at two sites located approximately 1 hr apart, and up to 30 animals at each site. Tracking is weekly during the active season (Feb–Oct), bi‑weekly during winter dormancy (Nov–Jan).
• Mark‑recapture and sample collection (25%):
  • Deploy and monitor aquatic…