Field Technician - Bird Banding

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SEASONAL Wellfleet Bay, South Wellfleet, MA, US

8 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $19.00 To $20.00 Hourly

About Mass Audubon
Mass Audubon is the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the greatest challenges facing the environment today: the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. With the help of our 160,000 members and supporters, we protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programs for adults and children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoors at our wildlife sanctuaries.

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About This Position
This position involves working with the Bird Banding Manager (permitted master bander) to help with all aspects of operating the seasonal, constant-effort mist netting banding station on Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, a 1,100-acre coastal wildlife sanctuary in South Wellfleet, MA. Over the course of the fall season, (August 28-November 16, 2024) two Bird Banding Field Technicians help run Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay’s banding station seven days per week, weather permitting, for a roughly three-weeks-on, three-weeks-off schedule for a total of 6 weeks at Wellfleet Bay.

During their time at Wellfleet Bay, the Bird Banding Field Technicians help oversee several volunteers and lead or co-lead several public banding demonstrations for school groups and adult audiences. Applicants are encouraged to consider separate employment with the Monomoy Bird Observatory, also in the fall season during alternate weeks.

Responsibilities

• Assist with preseason inventory of all gear and maintain net lane vegetation working with Property Manager
• Open nets each day and take them down at the end of banding
• With banding assistants and select volunteers, conduct frequent net runs to remove all birds and bring them back to station for processing
• Place federal aluminum bands on birds and collect various morphometric, weight, and other data on the bird’s condition before release
• Help supervise a small number of volunteers who help scribe data and eventually, when comfortable, remove birds from nets and handle them during processing
• Maintain effective communication about all job activities with Science Coordinator, Bird Banding Manager, and other external team members and support staff
• Provide photos to Marketing and Outreach Coordinator and post photos to social media accounts
• Conduct banding demonstrations for adults and children in coordination with our Education Department

Must Haves

• Experience removing songbirds from mist nets, banding them, and collecting morphometric data;
  please indicate in your cover letter how many birds you have processed
• Strong familiarity with identification of eastern US songbirds required
• Demonstrated experience utilizing judgment in field-based wildlife research and management projects
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to lift approximately 50lbs, and be in good physical condition to allow for long days in the field
• Willing to work weekends and holidays, weather permitting
• Access to own vehicle and a reliable phone

Nice to Haves

• B.S. or B.A. or higher in wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, environmental science, or related field, or equivalent experience preferred

Compensation, Benefits and Perks
This position’s pay range is $19.00-$20.00 per hour; actual rate of pay will reflect level of experience and qualifications relative to position requirements. This is not a benefits eligible position.

Work Schedule
Seven days per week, weather permitting, up to 40 hours per week.

Other Requirements
Employees must successfully complete a CORI and SORI Background Check and a Motor Vehicle Record (if applicable) is required.

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