Tern Colony Site Manager (Seasonal)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Bourne, MA

11h•$22 - $30

About The Position

The Tern Colony Site Manager (2 seasonal contract positions) restores endangered terns to Buzzards Bay through an intensive program of protection, management, and monitoring at the key nesting islands. Responsibility to protect these endangered birds falls under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Persons hired will spend significant time in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Requirements

Must have previous coursework in the biological or environmental sciences and be comfortable spending long periods of time in the outdoors.
One incumbent must have substantial experience with quality-control and analysis of biological data.
As a condition of employment, employees must be fully vaccinated.

Nice To Haves

Experience supervising field personnel
Experience banding birds
BIRD/RAM ISLANDS: Experience handling outboard motorboats in the marine environment.
PENIKESE ISLAND: Experience camping under primitive conditions desirable. Person hired will be required to set up and live in a field camp on the island.
Good physical condition. At PENIKESE ISLAND, must be able to carry ~40 lbs. of field equipment a distance of ½ mile.
Ability to work independently, as well as live and work cooperatively and harmoniously with others. At PENIKESE ISLAND must be comfortable living with others in close quarters in a remote island setting with limited facilities for 2-3 weeks at a time.
Willingness to work at night when required
In-state travel will be required; willingness to use personal vehicle.

Responsibilities

Protection and censusing colonies of Common and endangered Roseate Terns, and Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls
Discouragement of nesting gulls
Monitoring tern growth and productivity; trapping and banding adult and chicks; participating in other studies as needed.
Reading bands on adults through spotting scopes
Predator control and habitat management
Scheduling and supervision of seasonal interns and predator control technician.
Maintaining field notebooks, data management, and writing an end-of-season report. One of the positions will also assist with quality control, analysis, and reporting of statewide data on rare coastal waterbirds.
BIRD/RAM ISLANDS: Operation of outboard motorboats in marine environment