State of Florida - Alachua, FL
posted 16 days ago
About the position
The OPS Biological Scientist I position at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission involves the capture and tracking of bats to locate maternity roosts of the tricolored bat, a species under consideration for federal protection. The maternity roosting behavior of tricolored bats remains a poorly understood aspect of their life history, particularly in the southeast. Developing a better understanding of roosting habitat and behavior will enable us to better inform management efforts and enhance conservation strategies for this vulnerable species. The position is expected to last from mid-March to early-August and is expected to be located near Gainesville. The majority of fieldwork will be in north-central Florida.
Responsibilities
- Conduct mist netting and radio telemetry to locate tricolored bat summer roosts.
- Work independently or with other staff members to capture and track bats.
- Ensure that standard WNS decontamination procedures are followed.
- Conduct emergence counts at identified roosts.
- Complete vegetation surveys at roost and random trees.
- Contact landowners and land managers to request property access.
- Enter and QC data.
- Assist in writing reports.
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the biological sciences or 4 years professional experience in a closely-related biological field or laboratory program.
- Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory Level 1 background check.
- Ability to work nonstandard hours including nights and weekends.
- Must be able to carry out extensive field work in a variety of situations, including working in muggy, buggy weather and around alligators.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience identifying and handling bats and tracking bats with radio telemetry.
- Recent pre-exposure rabies vaccination or minimum recommended titer level.
- Knowledge of bat biology, conservation, and species identification (acoustically and/or in hand).
- Knowledge of southeastern tree species and experience conducting vegetation surveys.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
Benefits
- Hourly pay of $18.
- Opportunity to work in a dynamic and impactful conservation role.
