Research Technician I

Texas A&M • Kingsville, TX

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Technician I will assist in a research project being conducted in South Texas focused on the effects of guinea grass on the space use and habitat selection of northern bobwhite. Fieldwork will occur on private rangeland around Kingsville. The position will last for 4.5 months (Spring 2026). The successful candidate will work as part of a crew consisting of a lead graduate research assistant as well as several undergraduate technicians from Texas A&M-Kingsville. The primary purpose of this position is to assist with northern bobwhite trapping and tracking. Fieldwork will include (but is not limited to): clearing and prepping bobwhite trap sites, distributing bait before bobwhite trapping, trapping and tagging live northern bobwhites, VHF tracking of tagged bobwhites using both handheld yagis and vehicle mounted omni antennas, and performing vegetation measurements. The candidate must be comfortable with the safe handling of wildlife. Fieldwork will primarily be performed by a crew at the beginning of the field season, but the applicant will eventually be tasked with completing fieldwork tasks (especially VHF tracking) independently. As such, the applicant must be comfortable working in both a group setting as well as alone. Since work will be performed on private rangeland, the applicant will need to follow all rules and regulations imposed by the landowners and respect all ranch property. Field conditions include inclement weather, both hot and cold temperatures, high humidity, biting insects, potentially hazardous wildlife, and occasional wet conditions. This position is primarily field work based (~100%).  Housing is not provided.

Requirements

• Education – High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience – Two years of related experience.
• Ability to – Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Licensing / Professional Certification – None.
• Physical Requirements – Ability to lift moderately heavy objects. Ability to exert heavy force.

Responsibilities

• Lead efforts to trap bobwhite quail using ground funnel box traps. Involves prepping trap sites, deploying and operating traps, and the safe handling of captured animals.
• VHF tracking of bobwhite quail using both vehicle mounted whip antennae as well as handheld yagis and receivers.
• Conduct vegetation surveys at locations used by bobwhites as well as at random locations on the landscape. Includes Robel poles, Daubenmire frames, vertical visual obstruction metrics, and others as assigned.
• Operating 4WD vehicles, hand tools, and navigational equipment including both handheld GPS units and phone applications such as Avenza Maps
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees