Senior Student Research Assistant – Northern Saw-whet Owl Motus Project

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Posting Details

Position Information

Job Title Senior Student Research Assistant – Northern Saw-whet Owl Motus Project Appointment Type Casual Student position Position Dates September 2026 to May 31, 2027 Hours per week/FTE Varies About the Position

Lethbridge Polytechnic is seeking a Senior Student Research Assistant to support a collaborative research project examining the migration, breeding ecology, and dispersal of Northern Saw-whet Owls in the Cypress Hills. The project is led by Medicine Hat College in partnership with Lethbridge Polytechnic.

The successful candidate will serve as the lead LP student researcher on the project. During fall 2026 and winter 2027, the student will complete a focused literature review, help refine spring migration monitoring and Motus telemetry protocols, assess regional receiver coverage, and support the development of project data-management workflows. In spring 2027, the student will assist with field preparations and preliminary migration monitoring at the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding station in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.

This position is approximately 100 hours in total. Hours will vary over the appointment, generally averaging 3–5 hours per week during the literature review and planning phases, with more concentrated evening and overnight shifts during the spring 2027 field season.

This position provides an opportunity to develop applied research experience in ornithology, migration ecology, wildlife telemetry, scientific communication, and field-project coordination while working with researchers from Lethbridge Polytechnic and Medicine Hat College.

Please note this opportunity is open to current Lethbridge Polytechnic students only.

Position Details

This position provides an opportunity to develop applied research experience in ornithology, migration ecology, wildlife telemetry, scientific communication, and field-project coordination while working with researchers from Lethbridge Polytechnic and Medicine Hat College.



Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a focused review of peer-reviewed and grey literature concerning Northern Saw-whet Owl spring migration, breeding ecology, dispersal, and environmental factors affecting capture efficiency.
• Review Motus Wildlife Tracking System transmitter-deployment methods for Northern Saw-whet Owls and other similarly sized birds.
• Map existing Motus receiver infrastructure in and around the Cypress Hills and assess anticipated detection coverage.
• Develop an annotated bibliography and structured literature review summarizing key findings and knowledge gaps.
• Prepare recommendations concerning spring monitoring dates, nightly effort, lure settings, field protocols, nanotag deployment, and data collection.
• Assist with establishing data-entry, quality-assurance, and project data-management procedures.
• Assist the Bander in Charge with site preparation, equipment testing, mist-net operations, owl processing, and preliminary spring migration monitoring.
• Help coordinate the day-to-day work of the project’s second student Research Assistant during shared field activities.
• Support Motus nanotag deployment under approved protocols and the direct supervision of appropriately permitted…