NEON Seasonal Field Technician - FL

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Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental-scale observation facility funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by Battelle. The NEON program is designed to collect long-term, open access ecological data to better understand how U.S. ecosystems are changing, from freshwater systems such as streams, rivers, and lakes to terrestrial systems spanning tropical forests to deserts to tundra. We depend on our people to collect observational data and samples, to monitor automated instrumented systems that collect terrestrial and aquatic data, and to operate our airborne observation platform that captures remote sensing data of regional landscapes and vegetation.

We are currently seeking a Seasonal Field Technician. This position is an onsite role located in Gainesville, FL
. This position will start between February-June 2026 and end in December 2026.

With field sites at the Disney Wilderness Preserve, The Jones Center at Ichauway, and the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, NEON's Southeast Domain (Domain 03) provides a model for collaboration between industry, academia, and large-scale research infrastructures to further ecological and conservation research. NEON sites in the Southeast Domain are managed from our Gainesville, FL office.

Seasonal Field Technicians perform seasonal and periodic sampling of physical, chemical, and biological data at one (1) to multiple field sites (depending on location), while exercising good judgement and decision-making abilities to interpret protocol requirements. This position may be assigned an area of primary responsibility within the scope of data collection: botany, soils, entomology, mammalogy (except Puerto Rico and Hawaii), limnology (except Hawaii), or instrumentation;

the position may also be assigned multiple areas of responsibility as a “generalist”.

Field observations and collections are conducted using approximately 30 different protocols and may include NEON Research Support Services projects with varying schedule requirements based on local ecosystem and field conditions.

Individuals are responsible for their own housing and transportation to primary work location.

The work involves walking, hiking, prolonged standing, bending, and kneeling. Heavy items, equipment and packs up to 40 pounds must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Field work includes exposure to extreme temperatures, inclement weather, rough and variable terrain, toxic plants (e.g., poison ivy, hogweed), stinging and biting insects, and wildlife hazards. Instrument maintenance involves performing work on instrument towers ranging in height from 24 feet to 130 feet, which includes ascending and descending multiple flights of stairs.

Driving off-road in 4WD vehicles is required for most field sites.

We have a dynamic work environment where schedules are variable at the manager’s discretion. Generally, employees work 40 hours per week, with workdays ranging from 8-10 hours per day. Occasionally, workdays may extend to 12+ hours per day, including split shifts, starting before dawn and/or ending after dusk, and weekends. The ratio of field to lab work is about 75% field and 25% office and lab duties.

It is important to note that working over 40 hours a week may be required as needed, and overtime will be paid accordingly. Additionally, very frequent overnight travel (e.g., 2-4x a month for 1-4 nights) is required. May be required to travel for several weeks in a row. Overnight stay are required at The Jones Center at Ichuaway and Disney Wilderness Preserve.

• Perform field and lab assignments in a variety of conditions (e.g., weather, terrain, diverse assigned biomes, etc.).
• Follow established, standardized…