Wetland Research Technician

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Time Type:
Full time

Employee Group:
Staff

Job Category:
Data and Network Management

Employment Type:

Permanent

Department:
Faculty of Science
- Biology
- Wetland Ecology

Hiring Range: $47,210.94 - $59,013.67

This posting is for an existing vacancy. There is a qualified internal in the role/department. The internal posting deadline for this position is August 7, 2026 at 11:59PM.

Primary Purpose The incumbent is responsible for developing and ensuring the smooth and successful execution of assigned field and laboratory experiments for Dr. Rooney’s research group, in consultation with Dr. Rooney and her graduate students. The primary area of assignment for this position is wetland ecology and environmental monitoring, with expertise in both field and laboratory methods and logistical expertise necessary to field work in remote locations.

• Ensure appropriate licensing and permit requirements are met in support and implementation of field work
• Conduct surveys of physicochemical variables and biological communities in remote locations
• Refine and implement field protocols in consultation with Dr. Rooney
• Collect biological and abiotic samples from remote field locations following standardized protocols
• Preserve, process and submit those samples following standardized protocols
• Solve logistical issues including scheduling, travel, accommodations, site access, permitting, field level-risk assessments, general safety monitoring, sample and equipment transport, and submission or preservation of samples
• Inventory and service field equipment and maintain records
• Responsible for safe and repeatable operation of field equipment including trucks, water samplers, sediment cores and grabs, D-nets, vegetation and bryophyte quadrats, pressing herbarium specimens, peat corers, light sensors and meters, water depth loggers, song meter 3 automatic recording units, portable fridges and freezers, and other relevant sampling equipment as needed

• Prepare and print data collection forms
• Inventory data collection forms and maintain records
• Make back-up copies of data collection forms
• Enter data from forms and execute quality control protocols
• In consultation with Dr. Rooney and her graduate students, work with databases to archive and preserve the integrity of datasets
• In consultation with Dr. Rooney and her graduate students, refine data collection forms for greater efficiency and accuracy of data collection

• Clean-up of laboratory space with appropriate handling and disposal techniques including for hazardous materials
• Complete monthly lab inspections for safety and bi-weekly inspections of the eye-wash station
• Support graduate students in the safe implementation of lab experiments
• Inventory and maintain records of general lab supplies
• Solve logistical issues around scheduling, equipment maintenance, supply ordering, and equipment sharing among lab members
• Inventory and service lab equipment including maintaining records, including for the incubators, muffle furnace, analytical balances, microscopes, drying ovens, fridges and freezers, and grinding equipment
• In consultation with Dr. Rooney and lab members, set up experimental incubation of aquatic plant and algae cultures and dosing with herbicide
• Maintain and periodically sample lab cultures, following standardized protocols
• Process and submit those collected samples, following standardized protocols

• BSc. is required; MSc. in Biology with a thesis focused on wetland ecology is preferred

• Minimum 2 years of experience carrying out wetland ecology fieldwork in remote locations, preferably in Alberta.
• Experience conducting bird surveys, vegetation surveys, and sampling aquatic macroinvertebrates from wetlands.
• Experience trouble-shooting, functioning and field repair of equipment necessary to complete field work.
• Working with large datasets and government data sources.
• Working under memoranda of understanding using confidential information.

• Expertise with ArcMAP, Arc Pad, R, Fragstats, MS Office software
• Troubleshooting high precision GPS/GNSS ABWRET-A implementation
• SongMeter3s installation and set up
• Hobo depth data logger installation and set up
• Valid WHMIS 2015 First aid

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that…