Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who applied!
fRI Research is a not-for-profit organization conducting applied research to improve land and resource management. Our scientific research helps bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. Our office is in Hinton Alberta, where you can enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, skiing, ATV, outdoor yoga, and many other year-round outdoor activities in your backyard.
We are looking for seasonal field technicians to be a part of the Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project team to investigate and test new approaches to monitor grizzly bear populations in Alberta and to assess the availability of bear foods on the landscape in relation to climate and management practices.
Job Description
We are advertising positions in two roles: habitat field technician (2 positions) and grizzly bear field technician (4 positions).
Habitat Field Technician
The main aim of this position will be to deploy soil temperature and humidity sensors at pre-selected sites and measure vegetation characteristics at pre-defined plots, including species identification and abundance, height, cover, and phenology, with a specific focus on species that are important foods for grizzly bears.
Working in a 2-person team, the field crew will travel by road and hike into pre-selected sites carrying field equipment and deploy sensors/conduct vegetation plot monitoring.
The day-to-day tasks of this role will involve driving 4-wheel drive trucks on gravel roads, reading maps and GPS locations, using radios and other communication devices, hiking through dense vegetation and uneven terrain, establishing habitat transects and plots, deploying temperature and humidity sensors, identifying vegetation species, and accurately collecting ecological data.
Additional duties may involve fieldwork prep, data entry, working with various software programs for data management, and field equipment maintenance.
Fieldwork will be staged out of various locations between Highway 16 south to Highway 1.
There is scope for crossover and for habitat technicians to work on grizzly bear monitoring as required by project needs.
Grizzly Bear Field Technician
The main aim of this position will be to collect grizzly bear hair samples using non-invasive collection methods and monitor sampling sites with the use of trail cameras.
Working in 2-person teams, the field crews will travel by road to pre-selected sites, hike into identified locations carrying field equipment, and set up hair collection stations and trail cameras. Established sites will then be visited every ten days to collect hair samples and trail camera data.
The day-to-day tasks of this role will involve driving 4-wheel drive trucks on gravel roads, reading maps and GPS locations, using radios and other communication devices, hiking through dense vegetation and uneven terrain, establishing sampling sites, handling barbed wire and bear attractants, identifying vegetation species, and accurately collecting biological samples and ecological data.
Additional duties may involve fieldwork prep, data entry, working with various software programs for data management, and field equipment maintenance.
Fieldwork will be staged out of various locations between Highway 16 south to Highway 1.
There is scope for crossover and for grizzly bear technicians to work on habitat monitoring as required by project needs.
Qualifications
- Valid Class 5 driver’s licence with a clean driving record for a minimum of 3-years
- Be physically fit and able to hike long distances with a heavy backpack and equipment in difficult terrain
- Ability to work long hours in all weather conditions, wildlife encounters, and persistent insects
- Valid First Aid/CPR Certificate
- Eligible to work in Canada / currently in possession of an open work permit
Applicants need to be comfortable handling bear attractants and bait (cow blood mixtures and other attractants).
Previous field experience, vegetation ID skills, 4-wheel driving experience, and/or experience driving and using trailers/RVs will be considered an asset.
Employment Details
Number of Positions: 2 habitat field technicians; 4 grizzly bear field technicians
Duration: April 29, 2024 to August 31, 2024
Earlier starting (late April) and later end dates (up to end of October) may be possible depending on project workloads and candidate availability.
Location: Training and shift start/end will generally take place at the fRI Research office in Hinton, AB. Fieldwork will be staged out of various locations between Highway 16 south to Highway 1, with some fieldwork in other areas as required.
Wage: $22.00 – $26.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
Fieldwork Schedule: Shiftwork with a 9 days on, 5 days off schedule.
Work Hours: 7 to 12 hours per day (75-88 hours per shift), depending on work requirements.
General conditions: For remote fieldwork, accommodation, food, and transportation will be provided. Accommodation for remote fieldwork will be in camps, cabins, holiday trailers, or tents in serviced and unserviced campgrounds.
Safety training and field methods training will be provided before field sessions begin in Hinton, AB, with accommodation provided during training.
Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who applied!