NEON Field Ecologist - Aquatic Instrumentation - WI

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Battelle manages and operates the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) program, which is solely funded by the National Science Foundation. A 30+ year project dedicated to understanding how changes in climate, land use and invasive species impact ecology, the observatory’s scientists and engineers are collecting a comprehensive range of ecological data on a continental scale across 20 eco-climatic domains representing US ecosystems.

Our teams use cutting-edge technology, including an airborne observation platform that captures images of regional landscapes and vegetation; mobile, relocatable, and fixed data collection sites with automated ground sensors to monitor soil and atmosphere; and trained field crews who observe and sample populations of diverse organisms and collect soil and water data. Once structures are completed, a leading-edge cyberinfrastructure will calibrate, store and publish this information.

The Observatory includes more than 500+ personnel and is the first of its kind designed to detect and enable forecasting of ecological change at continental scales.

We are currently seeking Field Ecologist I – Aquatic Instrumentation. This position is an onsite role located in Land O’ Lakes, WI.

In the Great Lakes Domain (Domain 05), we collect data on northern hardwood forests and lakes in both managed and minimally managed landscapes of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The data will help researchers understand how changing climate, invasive species, and land management practices, such as forestry, will impact the diversity and biogeochemistry of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes region.

NEON sites in the Great Lakes Domain are managed from our Land O’ Lakes, WI office at UNDERC (University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center).

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, stinging and biting insects, disease-carrying ticks, toxic plants, e.g., poison ivy, and wildlife hazards. Instrument maintenance involves performing work on instrument towers ranging in height from 66 feet to 123 feet, which includes ascending and descending multiple flights of stairs.

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

Work schedules are typically 8-10 hours per day but can occasionally be 12+ hours per day. Work shifts can vary and may occasionally require starting before dawn and/or ending after dusk. Weekend work may be occasionally required depending on the work assignment. The ratio of field to lab work is about 60% field and 40% office and lab duties. Occasional overnight travel is required.

• Operate and maintain in-situ meteorological sensors, radiation sensors, water quality sensors, and data loggers used to measure CO2, water, and energy flux at NEON aquatic field sites.
• Monitor sensor health and status through various computer interface tools (i.e., PuTTY, specific sensor software, SAS, or other visual analytic tools).
• Perform aquatic observational…