Técnico de telemetría para estudiar aves en Hawaii

Telemetry technician needed (1 position) to study game bird ecology as part of a seed dispersal study on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Forest ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands have increasingly faced threats of species extinction and biological invasion, resulting in novel communities composed of native and non-native species. Although many native Hawaiian plants rely on birds for seed dispersal, nearly all native frugivorous birds are extinct. In the last century, the Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) and Erckel’s Francolin (Pternistis erckelii) were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands for recreational hunting. We are investigating the ecological impacts of these two species on seed dispersal networks.

Technician responsibilities will include tracking and monitoring game birds (GPS/UHF telemetry), bird capture and banding, line transect surveys, behavioral observations, vegetation surveys, fecal sample collection, camera trap deployment, and data entry. Fieldwork will involve long days of strenuous hiking and heavy lifting in temperamental weather conditions.

This research is a part of the Hawaii VINE Project, a collaborative research effort seeking to determine how well different species of non-native vertebrates disperse native plants species.

Start date is mid-January. The duration of this position is 6 months, with the potential to extend.

We will provide housing, a living stipend of $1,000 per month, and access to vehicles.

Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, zoology, ecology or a related field and at least two years of field experience pertaining to wildlife biology or botany are required. Applicants MUST have experience with telemetry and bird banding, and be responsible, organized, and comfortable working independently.

Contact: Please email a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references as a single PDF document to Sam Case (Sam.Case.Hawaii@gmail.com) by November 20th, 2017. A phone number and email address must be included for each reference.