UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Position Summary
This position is for a staff researcher in the Coastal Ecology Lab with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant office and will be located fully at the off-campus UGA facility in Brunswick, Georgia. The responsibilities will be diverse and dynamic across multiple projects in the lab as the lab is funded extramurally. This staff position will play a large role in project execution and management and may also be involved with the design and implementation of novel research projects in the field. Projects will focus on ecological surveys and research primarily on wildlife, and reptiles, in particular, along with general assessments of habitat health and change in the Coastal and Coastal Plain regions of Georgia. As the lab has field sites in multiple counties within these regions, overnight travel for fieldwork ranging from 1-4 nights/week is expected, particularly during September – April.
The primary responsibilities of this position will be to conduct and assist with the coordination of surveys for gopher tortoises and indigo snakes (but extends to other animal and plant species), specifically line transect distance sampling and burrow scoping. We use pre-development data to project impacts and collaboratively develop plans for the avoidance or relocation of impacted species on industry lands (e.g., utility-scale solar, mineral surface mining) with project sponsors and natural resource agencies. This position will also be involved in executing mitigation actions, such as relocations and exclusion fence/recipient pen monitoring. We further work with project sponsors to develop and implement the local stewardship, habitat management and restoration, and staff/contractor education and awareness initiatives. We also conduct research on the post-translocation status of gopher tortoises, including vegetation assessments using transects and UAVs/drones in the recipient habitats. We use these data to engage adaptive management and process improvement for wildlife and habitat. The researcher will conduct field work at multiple field locations that includes, but is not limited to, radio tracking, checking game cameras, and the seasonal trapping of tortoises to swap equipment and download data.
Other grant opportunities will certainly arise during the course of employment so some new projects will come online and others will wrap up. Staff will have opportunities for input on both new and on-going projects and can participate in the proposal process as needed and as time around primary responsibilities allows. The staff will undergo and maintain specific task training for compliance with UGA protocols, including safe venomous snake handling, state vehicle and computer use, and working with minors in education programs. Training and compliances for access to some of our field sites, such as MSHA certification and refreshers, will be provided as part of the initial training and onboarding as it is required as a condition of employment. In addition to field work, this position involves regular office work to transfer and manage datasets associated with the projects, data analysis for results for sponsor reports, and natural resource agency permits. Also, this position will conduct data analysis to generate peer-reviewed publications and professional presentations for conferences. Data management, analysis and the production of maps using ArcGIS are expected to occur consistently and with self-initiative, though communication with and support from the supervisor will also be provided consistently as result production, interpretation, and dissemination will be a collaborative process. As research is fueled by innovation through new ideas, technology, and ways to analyze data, this position is an opportunity for someone who loves to learn, grow, and take the reins in their professional growth and currency. As our lab has a strong mission for community engagement and public education, the position also will assist with public communications via content development for social media and project promotion; public or classroom education events (field, classroom, tabling); and staff trainings for new miners on wildlife identification or other types of workforce development. Finally, the individual will participate in husbandry of captive education and research animals at the Marine Extension facility in Brunswick. This position may assist periodically in the scheduling and communications associated with programs and trainings.
Employees are eligible for dental, eye, and life insurance and retirement investments as part of fully benefited employment at the university.
Staff are to provide their own housing, cell phone, and transportation for work commute and occasional fieldwork (the latter of which is reimbursable if UGA fleet vehicles are not available). Given the training investment and responsibility that are offered as part of this position, we request a minimum of a one-year commitment. Annual extensions are possible based on job performance and funding availability. This position will operate both in independent and team settings. There will be opportunities for leadership and coordination in certain capacities, and for working cooperatively as good team players in others. All employees will be expected to respect and uphold client confidentiality on all sites.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
Competencies:
- A dedicated interest in the conservation and management of wildlife and ecologically viable habitats that interface with human activities.
- Experience with ArcGIS, statistical analysis, and data management.
- Experience in the collection and management of large datasets.
- Field experience with surveying for Gopherus spp., including experience with burrow scopes.
- Experience driving 4WD trucks on muddy, sandy and challenging unpaved roads,
- Field experience with ecological survey and monitoring methods, particularly transect surveys for vegetation and wildlife, but including, visual encounter surveys, and trapping.
- Knowledge of southeastern habitats and upland sandhills plant and animal communities.
- Experience with field and analytical aspects of animal movement research, specifically GPS and/or VHF systems.
- Experience working on development sites or with industry partners is a plus.
- Experience working with Trimble GPS units and Terraflex is a plus.
- Experience with UAVs and associated data analysis is a plus.
Leadership Expectations:
- Initiative in communicating with supervisor on task progress and where hurdles are complicating established objectives and timelines.
- Driven to acquire the knowledge needed to conduct the job effectively and according to contracted timelines and deliverables (internally through peers and supervisor, externally through networking and literature review).
- Interest in developing or contributing to novel equipment and statistical advancements in the field.
- Initiative in scheduling internal meetings with supervisor and co-workers on upcoming tasks.
- Ability to multi-task projects and responsibilities.
Character Skills:
- A high-level of organization and professionalism and pride in quality performance.
- A philosophy for direct, honest and efficient communication with co-workers and supervisor, and a willingness to offer constructive feedback to both.
- Leadership and patience when training incoming seasonal technicians and student interns on field and office protocols and supporting their growth into independent execution of their respective tasks.
- Flexibility with scheduling and physical and mental resiliency as the nature of field ecology, conservation planning, and the state of the world around us changes constantly.
- An ability to uphold and model a positive attitude, even in thorny patches, literally and figuratively.
- A sense of mindfulness and gratitude for the people and opportunities around you.
Physical Demands
- Good physical condition and a patient temperament, whether by yourself or with co-workers in the field.
- Some long days in the field in hot, buggy conditions, and surveys in thick, thorny vegetation.
- Habitat conditions will be variable, ranging from dense forests or mid-story vegetation to open, agricultural fields, or typical sandhills vegetation structure.
- Physical exertion may involve walking up to 10 mi/day for surveys, sometimes carrying up to 15Ibs of equipment and bulky burrow scopes.
- Scoping burrows requires continuous bending over and squatting.
- Wild and captive animals, including venomous snakes, can be challenging to capture and handle, and safety precautions and protocols must be adhered to for the well-being of the animals and employees.
- Driving multiple hours round-trip to field sites.
Staying overnight in hotels during field deployments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in Biology, Ecology, Wildlife Management, or related field OR 3 years relevant experience in field research and wildlife.
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