Aquatic Ecology Field Technician

Details

Posted: 19-Mar-24

Location: Duluth, Minnesota

Salary: 31,200.00

Categories:

Research - Laboratory/Non-Laboratory
Staff/Administrative

Additional Information:

5 openings available.

Internal Number: 360199

Researchers in the Water Research Group at the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, are hiring 3-4 aquatic ecology summer field technicians. The primary role of these positions is to investigate the condition of Great Lakes Coastal wetlands and Lake Superior streams using fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates. The technicians will also assist with a project investigating invasive crayfish trapping on inland Minnesota lakes. Field technicians will work in teams of 2-4 individuals to conduct surveys by boat, hiking overland, or wading in streams. This work will require overnight travel from mid-June to early August on up to four, 5-8 day trips. Crews can expect to travel anywhere from Green Bay, WI to Keweenaw Peninsula, MI and as far north as Grand Portage, MN. Local work in the Duluth area will primarily occur in early June, August and September. Transportation, lodging, and a meal allowance is provided during travel away from Duluth. When crews are working around Duluth on a standard work schedule (M-F) and on days off, crew are responsible for their own transportation, housing, and food. This appointment will last until crew members need to return to classes or until the work is completed (typically into September), but will not extend past October 31st, 2024.
Technicians will receive considerable safety and project training before field excursions, including boat handling and trailering training and safety. UMD, NRRI, and project orientation in-person and online trainings will start at the end of May. New employees will have opportunities to practice boat trailering and field safety skills at NRRI before the first field excursion. Coastal wetland field training will occur in mid to late June during a weeklong field trip with all crew members. Field training will cover basic boat operation, boat trailering, water safety, handling and identifying fish and crayfish, macroinvertebrate sampling, and collecting and processing water quality samples.
NRRI will provide personal protection equipment (PPE) for field work such as waders, life jackets, basic rain gear, eye and hand protection, sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, head nets, etc. Employees are responsible for procuring their own field-appropriate clothing, lunchbox/day pack, water bottles, and kit of anything needed for a long day of fieldwork
(e.g., SPF lip balm, medicines, lunches/snacks). When crews are working around Duluth on a standard work schedule, and on days off, crew are responsible for their own transportation, housing, and food. 
All applicants must be able to travel on 5â“8-day overnight field trips this summer (4-6 trips total). Strong applicants will also have a background in boating, first aid, a demonstrated ability to learn new skills and work cooperatively on a team, and mechanical aptitude to diagnose and fix broken things.
Job Duties

• Field sampling and travel. Technicians will document fish, aquatic macroinvertebrates, habitat, aquatic vegetation, and water quality in Great Lakes coastal wetlands and tributaries of Lake Superior; electro fish and sample aquatic invertebrates and habitat in wadable streams, use minnow traps for crayfish trapping, and other similar duties. Field technicians must be capable of hiking all day in wadable streams and through trail-less forested areas, should be able to swim, and must be able to work cooperatively in small groups during extended overnight travel. (75%)
• Organizing field equipment, preparing/packing for field trips, reporting on sample collection activities. (10%)
• Processing invertebrate or water quality samples in the laboratory.(10%)
• Using computer and GPS to navigate to sampling sites and manage field data. (5%)
   

Required Qualifications

• High school graduation or the equivalent with some science courses and two years of experience in relevant academic and work experience may be substituted.
• Valid driverâ™s license and clean driving record (absolutely no moving violations; any offer of employment is contingent upon passing a motor vehicle background check).
• Must have daily transportation to and from NRRI facility and have or obtain housing in the Duluth, MN area for the term of this appointment.
• Ability to communicate and work closely with team members in both a laboratory and outdoor setting.
• Physical ability to work long hours outdoors, sometimes in inclement weather, and carrying heavy equipment over uneven terrain.
• Must be able to travel away from the Duluth, MN area for fieldwork 4-6 times throughout the summer on 5-8 day field trips.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference for spending time outdoors
• Experience sampling and identifying fish, invertebrates, aquatic vegetation and/or collecting water samples.
• Classwork in biology, ecology, limnology, or similar.
• Boating and trailering experience; have a Boaters Safety Certificate.
• Strong communication skills, positive attitude, experience working on a team.
• Computer skills performing data entry and Excel spreadsheet management.
• Familiarity using handheld GPS, compass, and reading topographical maps.
• Mechanical aptitude: e.g., changing vehicle and trailer tires, troubleshooting boat motors, performing routine maintenance of vehicles, trailers, boats, and motors.

We encourage applications from those who do not have all the preferred qualifications.

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