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Location

Utah | United States

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Job description

The Young lab at Utah State University is seeking three (3) technicians to assist with fieldwork for a Ph.D. student’s research project focused on comparing the effectiveness of different monitoring techniques for surveying black bears, bobcats, and cougars in the Central Mountains of Utah. The position is expected to last approximately 4-6 months. This is a multi-year collaborative study between Utah State University and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), aimed at identifying best practices for monitoring carnivore populations and health to meet management objectives. The collaboration also includes Brigham Young University (BYU) researchers studying ungulate populations at the same site.

Work will predominantly involve noninvasive sampling of carnivores, such as deploying, maintaining, and retrieving camera traps and baited hair snares. Applicants should expect to spend long days hiking alone in mountainous terrain (6,000-10,000ft elevation) carrying a heavy pack and field equipment. Technicians MUST be comfortable performing solo fieldwork in adverse conditions (such as heat or cold, challenging terrain, and remote locations), driving 4x4 trucks and ATVs, and problem-solving independently to ensure that fieldwork is completed safely and efficiently.

Technicians must be aware of their surroundings and be confident hiking alone where carnivores and other wildlife species are present. Additional fieldwork related to the study may include helping the graduate student and UDWR personnel capture, process, and collar bobcats and black bears, working with a scat detection dog team, using VHF telemetry to locate collared bobcats and download GPS data, and investigating mortality events for collared black bears, bobcats, and cougars. Applicants must therefore be comfortable handling live and dead animals, meat, and pungent lures.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Have or be working towards a degree in wildlife ecology/management, biology, natural resources, or a similar field OR be able to demonstrate equivalent experience.
• Must be independent, hardworking, and in good physical condition.
• Must be willing to work alone in inclement weather without cell service, communicating via radios and satellite communication devices.
• Must be able to navigate on and off-trail using topographic maps and a hand-held GPS.
• Must have good communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with hunters, UDWR biologists, BYU researchers, landowners, recreators, other technicians and volunteers, the PI, and the supervising graduate student.
• Must be detail-oriented, organized, and have data management skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to follow directions including strict field protocols.
• Valid Utah driver’s license to perform essential job responsibilities, such as driving university vehicles and transporting materials.
• Have a clean driving record.
• Patience, adaptability, stamina (mental and physical), respect for others, professional behavior, and a positive team-player attitude are by far the most important skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working and/or living with people or groups from differing backgrounds.
• Experience safely operating 4WD trucks and ATVs on dirt and gravel roads and hiking on and off-trail through rugged terrain in remote locations.
• Prior experience using camera traps and managing camera data.
• Experience backpacking alone in remote locations.
• Certifications in wilderness medical care (Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder).

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application
3. The names and contact information for 3 professional references to be entered into Candidate Profile.  

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

$16.00 per hour

This position requires considerable physical activity. Employees must have sufficient strength to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position including ability to hike 10+ miles a day off-trail with a weighted pack of 30+ pounds and/or pushing and pulling of heavy objects. Employees must be prepared to assume uncomfortable positions, such as crawling, kneeling, and squatting. Employees work outside and will not be protected from weather conditions, including extreme cold and extreme heat for extended periods.

The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with over $15M in research funding annually, 55 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies.  

 

The Department of Wildland Resources in QCNR encompasses research in applied terrestrial ecology, including the ecology and management of wildlife, forests, rangelands, conservation biology, and climate change adaptation.  Award-winning faculty teach courses that prepare students for professional careers in many natural resources fields, including programs accredited by the Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management and aligned with the Society of Ecological Restoration.  

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant and space-grant university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion. USU serves approximately 27,500 students throughout the state at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for over 25 years, and USU Extension provides outreach and service to all counties in Utah.  

 

As a land-grant university, USU engages communities and empowers people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. As an R1 research institution, USU provides a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price. Washington Monthly has consistently ranked USU in the top 10 among public universities for contribution to social mobility, research, and public service.  

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where different perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Learn more about USU.  

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.  Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or [email protected] .  

 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan , is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation.  

 

*updated 7/2023

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity  Matthew Pinner,   [email protected] ,   Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael,  [email protected] , Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit  , or contact:

U.S. Department of Education,  Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,  800-421-3481,  [email protected]

*updated 09/2023

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