The Rangeland-Wildlife Extension lab in the Wildland Resources Department at Utah State University (USU) is seeking applicants for wildlife technicians to work on a research project in Northwestern Utah and South-Central Idaho on sage-grouse, sagebrush obligate passerines, and pinyon jays. The overarching theme of this project is the response of the above species of concern to sagebrush conservation and management actions.
Technicians will be advised by two PhD students working on the project. Technicians will have the ability to start working on the project part-time this spring and continue full-time during the summer months.
Field work will take place in the remote areas of extreme northwestern Utah and south-central Idaho. Housing during the field season will be provided and will likely include bunk-style housing and a mobile travel trailer. Field trucks, UTVs, and ATVs will be provided.

Duties include but are not limited to: trapping sage-grouse at night and attaching GPS radio transmitters to sage-grouse, sage-grouse brood surveys, vegetation surveys, passerine surveys, and pinyon jay surveys. Both teamwork and the ability to work independently will be needed. It is essential that applicants can work and live side-by-side with co-workers, as well as work independently and as part of a team.

For questions relating to the job listing, contact Ruger Carter at ruger.carter@usu.edu.

USU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, or any other attribute protected by law. We appreciate applications that help build a more diverse community here at USU.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Valid Driver’s License to perform essential job functions
• Demonstrated communication skills in English (written and oral)
• Ability to conduct field work in extreme climatic conditions, both hot and cold weather.
• Demonstrated ability to drive long distances for field work, use 4-wheel-drive vehicles, and use UTV/ATVs safely
• Ability to spend multiple nights in a primitive camping setting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with terrestrial ecology and avian field work

• Experience working in remote areas independently

• Experience in Plant Identification

• Experience in Rangeland Monitoring

• Desirable Skills
  
  • Bird dog ownership/handling experience would be beneficial
  • Experience with bird ID through plumage and call characteristics

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV” 
2. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

This position requires considerable physical activity.  Employees must have sufficient strength to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position including heavy lifting (up to 40lbs.) and/or pushing and pulling of heavy objects. Employees must be prepared to assume uncomfortable positions, such as crawling, kneeling, and squatting.  Employees work outside and will not be protected from weather conditions, including extreme cold and extreme heat for extended periods.   

The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with almost $11M in research funding annually, 61 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies. 

The Department of Wildland Resources in QCNR encompasses research in applied terrestrial ecology, including the ecology and management of wildlife, forests, rangelands, conservation biology, and climate change adaptation.  Award-winning faculty teach courses that prepare students for professional careers in many natural resources fields, including programs accredited by the Society of American Foresters and the Society for Range Management and aligned with the Society of Ecological Restoration.

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is one of only 146 research institutions in the U.S. classified as R1 “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. With its main campus in Logan, the university serves approximately 27,500 students, including 24,255 undergraduates and 3,171 graduate students. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for 25 years.

USU’s statewide system features three residential campuses, 30 total campus locations, and 23 Extension education centers. The university employs 903 full-time faculty members, 124 executive administrators, and 1,649 full-time support staff. USU offers 115 undergraduate majors, as well as 91 master’s and 42 doctoral degrees. Learn more about USU.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah, a city of about 50,000 situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.

USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr@usu.edu.

USU Land Acknowledgment

Please visit our website to learn about Utah State’s land acknowledgment of the eight tribes of Utah.

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Matthew Pinner, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, Ut 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov

*updated 11/2022