Field Technician - Terrapins

Mass Audubon•Wellfleet, MA

5d•$19 - $22

About The Position

This position involves working with the project coordinator to assist with all aspects of a long-term diamondback terrapin research project on Mass Audubon’s 1,100-acre coastal wildlife sanctuary in South Wellfleet, MA and other sites on the Outer Cape. Diamondback terrapins are state Threatened in MA. Primary duties are working with volunteers to find, protect, sometimes relocate, monitor, and excavate nests of diamondback terrapins. Other duties include entering, managing, and summarizing data, lab work which involves weighing, measuring, and monitoring hatchlings, PIT tagging adult terrapins, helping to coordinate and oversee 100+ terrapin volunteers, occasionally assisting with turtle-oriented public programs for adults and children, and possibly radio tracking box turtles. Shared housing is available at $30.00-35.00 per week.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in wildlife biology or related field
Field experience and an interest in herpetology and/or marine biology
Willingness to spend long hours outdoors, sometimes evenings, in all sorts of weather

Nice To Haves

Local housing
Access to own vehicle

Responsibilities

Assist Turtle Research Coordinator with volunteer scheduling, training, and communications
Lead or observe nest searching and hatchling shifts both at the sanctuary and at select off-sanctuary sites in Wellfleet and Orleans, MA
Manage hatchling inventory in wet lab
Collect biological and spatial data on diamondback terrapins and box turtles including morphometrics and locations
Help organize and maintain all field equipment and lab/turtle processing spaces
Occasionally participating in mark-recapture surveys, where terrapins are netted and PIT tagged
Help create maps of turtle nesting areas and other spatial data
Enter and summarize data and maintain databases, including spatial data and photo libraries
Maintain effective communication about all job activities with Science Coordinator, Turtle Research Coordinator, and other external team members and support staff
Work with education staff to assist with or conduct education programs for adults and children