Wildlife Technician 3

State of Montana • Bozeman, MT

4d

About The Position

This technician will work with both the Nongame Wildlife Program and the Wildlife Health Lab to implement: 1) Montana's Pd/White-nose Syndrome (WNS) Surveillance efforts and 2) North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat; i.e., acoustic monitoring of bats across the state). This position will be part of a 3-member crew and supervised by a lead bat tech. The crew will carry assist with WNS surveillance in hibernacula, at summer roost sites, or via mist-netting at several sites across the state of Montana (April - June). This position will also help implement Montana's bat acoustic monitoring program following NABat protocol (June - July) and may assisting with implementing management actions in August. Efforts require the position to work with dozens of FWP and partner agency staff as well as private landowners to obtain access to conduct Pd/WNS surveillance and acoustic monitoring. Pd/WNS surveillance includes the capture, handling, identification, and sampling (e.g. swabbing of bats) of bats across the state. Other surveillance work includes collecting guano and soil samples in hibernacula and at spring roosting sites. Some surveillance work will occur in hibernacula - previous experience working in caves is ideal but not required. Although rabies vaccinations are not a requirement for application, technicians must be willing to receive rabies vaccinations, conduct regular titer checks, and receive boosters, as needed. The acoustic monitoring follows NABat protocols and involves the deployment of acoustic detectors at l 00+ sites across. Other tasks include assisting with other project mist netting efforts as needed, maintaining supply and equipment inventories, data entry, maintaining database of sampling sites and results, and shipping samples to testing laboratories. Physical demands include working long hours, occasionally at night; hiking in rugged terrain with heavy equipment, sometimes in bear country; working and camping in inclement weather and cold and hot temperatures; and potentially caving. The ability to work without direct supervision in potentially hazardous conditions is expected. The technician must have the ability and feel comfortable driving a 4x4 vehicle in all weather and road conditions, changing a tire, and hiking or camping alone or in a team, and following daily check-in procedures. Candidates must be comfortable working in remote parts of the state, often solo.

Requirements

• Two seasons of field experience
• Excellent organizational skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team or solo setting, with little to no supervision
• Experience capturing bats or birds in mist nets
• Experience handling and identifying bats, or other small animals
• Ability to make safe decisions while conducting field work

Nice To Haves

• Experience with data entry and management
• Previous experience working in caves is ideal but not required.
• Cover letter should describe relevant field experience, including expertise with mist-netting, bat-handling and identification; acoustic bat detectors; and/or biological sample collection.

Responsibilities

• Assist with WNS surveillance in hibernacula, at summer roost sites, or via mist-netting at several sites across the state of Montana (April - June).
• Help implement Montana's bat acoustic monitoring program following NABat protocol (June - July) and may assisting with implementing management actions in August.
• Capture, handling, identification, and sampling (e.g. swabbing of bats) of bats across the state.
• Collecting guano and soil samples in hibernacula and at spring roosting sites.
• Deployment of acoustic detectors at l 00+ sites across.
• Assisting with other project mist netting efforts as needed
• Maintaining supply and equipment inventories
• Data entry
• Maintaining database of sampling sites and results
• Shipping samples to testing laboratories.

Benefits

• Employees who exceed 1,040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health, dental and life insurance.
• Other benefits include retirement, paid vacation, sick and holidays.
• This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association).

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees