Seabird Island Supervisor
Company Name:
National Audubon Society
Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubon's mission is engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education and on-the-ground conservation action. By mobilizing and aligning its network of Chapters, Centers, State and Important Bird Area programs in the four major migratory flyways in the Americas, the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive. And as part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in over 100 in-country organizations all working to protect a network of Important Bird Areas around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. What defines Audubon's unique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 22 state offices, 41 Audubon Centers, Important Bird Area Programs in 46 states, and 700 staff across the country. Audubon is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
Audubon's Seabird Restoration Program manages seven island research stations off the coast of Maine that include active and former restoration sites for Arctic, Common, Least, and Roseate Terns, Atlantic Puffins, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Laughing Gulls, Common Eiders, Leach's Storm-Petrels, and wading birds. Work includes, but is not limited to: monitoring seabird populations, productivity, and growth; conducting seabird diet studies; banding and resighting birds; removing invasive vegetation; educating island visitors; and assisting with predator management. More information on the Program can be found at: .
Island Supervisors will help to lead one of 5 field teams: Stratton Island, Eastern Egg Rock, Matinicus Rock, Seal Island, or Casco Bay area Islands (includes Jenny, Pond, and Outer Green Islands); these island research teams are comprised of 2 to 6 people and are determined by island size, seabird colony composition, and workload.
At each island, a cabin or wall tent serves as the base of field operations, and Research Assistants and Supervisors will sleep in their own tents. There is no running water, limited electricity (solar panels power research needs), and composting toilets only. The work week may also stretch across seven days, weather permitting, but working hours are limited to 35 per week and weekend work may be required. Days can be long (6:00 AM to 8:00 PM) and include one to two 3-hour observation stints each day in a small wooden blind.
Island Supervisors will spend the entire field season living on island; Supervisors working on inshore islands will have the ability to go ashore (about every 1-2 weeks) to procure food and supplies for the field station and assist with Research Assistant station rotation.
A regular salary, plus food and worker's compensation insurance are provided.
Island work schedule and daily duties are determined by the Island Supervisor and vary based on weather (no entry into the seabird colony is permitted during inclement weather to protect the nesting terns) and time of the nesting season (when tern chicks are fully feathered, entry into the colony is less restrictive). Daily schedule may include, but is not limited to the following: island-wide morning bird count and weather data collection at 6:00 AM; one to two 3-hour stints in the observation blinds for data collection each day; seabird trapping, banding, and productivity monitoring; trail maintenance; invasive plant removal (depending on location); computer data entry; daily journal log entries; maintenance of camp facilities. Specific responsibilities include the following:
Manage multiple concurrent seabird studies as directed by the Sanctuary Manager, which may include, but are not limited to: bird trapping, banding, and resighting; observations from blinds; conducting seabird diet studies; conducting nest censuses; monitoring productivity and growth; computer data entry; blood or specimen collection; vegetation management; predator monitoring and control;
Train research assistants and volunteers on essential field and computer skills and proper use of binoculars and spotting scopes;
Draft a daily work and staff schedule;
Oversee and participate in data collection and management and completion of daily journal entries;
Conduct visitor education;
Protect the seabird colony from human disturbance;
Conduct predator management or control as necessary;
Responsible for personnel safety at a remote field camp, as well as safe use of power or row boats, assuring all personnel wear personal flotation devices as required by NAS;
Responsible for proper care of NAS-issued equipment, including but not limited to: spotting scopes, cameras, GPS, cell phones, radios, and other research equipment;
Responsible for keeping equipment, such as solar power systems, sound broadcasting systems, and rifles in working order, and inventorying all equipment at the end of the season;
Responsible for informing the Associate Director of any equipment loss, breakage, or failure, and of any facility maintenance or repair required;
Responsible for winterizing and securing the field station at season's end.
Prepare a short field season summary for oral presentation at the August Gulf of Maine Seabird Working Group meeting;
Write an end of season report summarizing results of field work, data collected, and management activities, for submission to the Sanctuary Manager by the specified date.
Bachelor's deree in biology, conservation biology, wildlife management, or a related field with several years of experience in similar field research programs; pursuit of graduate studies is encouraged and career goals should include work in the field of conservation biology.
Bird banding experience is required for all positions, and experience operating small motorboats is required for some positions; hunting and trapping experience and previous work coordinating and training field crews are highly desirable.
Experience with the following is required: spotting scopes, bird banding and trapping equipment, camping equipment (e.g. tents, composting toilets, etc), basic hand tools (e.g. hammer, drill driver, etc); PC operation; and cell phones.
Experience with the following is desirable: outboard engine care/basic maintenance, inflatable boat repair, boat safety equipment, solar power systems, and CB and VHF radios.
Be in excellent physical condition, to include the ability to climb over rugged terrain, lift approximately 50 lbs and sit for up to three hours of time in order to collect data.
Must be able to sit in a small blind for three hours and maintain focus on data collection.
Ability to work well with people of diverse backgrounds, as well as a sense of humor, willingness to learn, dedication to wildlife conservation, and interest in seabirds and isolated islands.
Must provide own binoculars, tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag.
Inshore Island Supervisors must also possess a valid driver's license and a personal vehicle.Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
National Audubon Society
Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubon's mission is engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education and on-the-ground conservation action. By mobilizing and aligning its network of Chapters, Centers, State and Important Bird Area programs in the four major migratory flyways in the Americas, the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive. And as part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in over 100 in-country organizations all working to protect a network of Important Bird Areas around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. What defines Audubon's unique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 22 state offices, 41 Audubon Centers, Important Bird Area Programs in 46 states, and 700 staff across the country. Audubon is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
Audubon's Seabird Restoration Program manages seven island research stations off the coast of Maine that include active and former restoration sites for Arctic, Common, Least, and Roseate Terns, Atlantic Puffins, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Laughing Gulls, Common Eiders, Leach's Storm-Petrels, and wading birds. Work includes, but is not limited to: monitoring seabird populations, productivity, and growth; conducting seabird diet studies; banding and resighting birds; removing invasive vegetation; educating island visitors; and assisting with predator management. More information on the Program can be found at: .
Island Supervisors will help to lead one of 5 field teams: Stratton Island, Eastern Egg Rock, Matinicus Rock, Seal Island, or Casco Bay area Islands (includes Jenny, Pond, and Outer Green Islands); these island research teams are comprised of 2 to 6 people and are determined by island size, seabird colony composition, and workload.
At each island, a cabin or wall tent serves as the base of field operations, and Research Assistants and Supervisors will sleep in their own tents. There is no running water, limited electricity (solar panels power research needs), and composting toilets only. The work week may also stretch across seven days, weather permitting, but working hours are limited to 35 per week and weekend work may be required. Days can be long (6:00 AM to 8:00 PM) and include one to two 3-hour observation stints each day in a small wooden blind.
Island Supervisors will spend the entire field season living on island; Supervisors working on inshore islands will have the ability to go ashore (about every 1-2 weeks) to procure food and supplies for the field station and assist with Research Assistant station rotation.
A regular salary, plus food and worker's compensation insurance are provided.
Island work schedule and daily duties are determined by the Island Supervisor and vary based on weather (no entry into the seabird colony is permitted during inclement weather to protect the nesting terns) and time of the nesting season (when tern chicks are fully feathered, entry into the colony is less restrictive). Daily schedule may include, but is not limited to the following: island-wide morning bird count and weather data collection at 6:00 AM; one to two 3-hour stints in the observation blinds for data collection each day; seabird trapping, banding, and productivity monitoring; trail maintenance; invasive plant removal (depending on location); computer data entry; daily journal log entries; maintenance of camp facilities. Specific responsibilities include the following:
Manage multiple concurrent seabird studies as directed by the Sanctuary Manager, which may include, but are not limited to: bird trapping, banding, and resighting; observations from blinds; conducting seabird diet studies; conducting nest censuses; monitoring productivity and growth; computer data entry; blood or specimen collection; vegetation management; predator monitoring and control;
Train research assistants and volunteers on essential field and computer skills and proper use of binoculars and spotting scopes;
Draft a daily work and staff schedule;
Oversee and participate in data collection and management and completion of daily journal entries;
Conduct visitor education;
Protect the seabird colony from human disturbance;
Conduct predator management or control as necessary;
Responsible for personnel safety at a remote field camp, as well as safe use of power or row boats, assuring all personnel wear personal flotation devices as required by NAS;
Responsible for proper care of NAS-issued equipment, including but not limited to: spotting scopes, cameras, GPS, cell phones, radios, and other research equipment;
Responsible for keeping equipment, such as solar power systems, sound broadcasting systems, and rifles in working order, and inventorying all equipment at the end of the season;
Responsible for informing the Associate Director of any equipment loss, breakage, or failure, and of any facility maintenance or repair required;
Responsible for winterizing and securing the field station at season's end.
Prepare a short field season summary for oral presentation at the August Gulf of Maine Seabird Working Group meeting;
Write an end of season report summarizing results of field work, data collected, and management activities, for submission to the Sanctuary Manager by the specified date.
Bachelor's deree in biology, conservation biology, wildlife management, or a related field with several years of experience in similar field research programs; pursuit of graduate studies is encouraged and career goals should include work in the field of conservation biology.
Bird banding experience is required for all positions, and experience operating small motorboats is required for some positions; hunting and trapping experience and previous work coordinating and training field crews are highly desirable.
Experience with the following is required: spotting scopes, bird banding and trapping equipment, camping equipment (e.g. tents, composting toilets, etc), basic hand tools (e.g. hammer, drill driver, etc); PC operation; and cell phones.
Experience with the following is desirable: outboard engine care/basic maintenance, inflatable boat repair, boat safety equipment, solar power systems, and CB and VHF radios.
Be in excellent physical condition, to include the ability to climb over rugged terrain, lift approximately 50 lbs and sit for up to three hours of time in order to collect data.
Must be able to sit in a small blind for three hours and maintain focus on data collection.
Ability to work well with people of diverse backgrounds, as well as a sense of humor, willingness to learn, dedication to wildlife conservation, and interest in seabirds and isolated islands.
Must provide own binoculars, tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag.
Inshore Island Supervisors must also possess a valid driver's license and a personal vehicle.Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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