Behavioral Ecology Field Assistant - Puerto Rico

Agency: University of California, Los Angeles

Location: Puerto Rico

website: http://kennychapin.com/pdfs/announcement.pdf

Salary: Volunteer, housing and on-site transportation

Start Date:  08/01/2012

Last Date to Apply: 08/01/2012

 Description:  We are seeking volunteers to assist in field research on whip spiders (Arachnida: Amblypygi) in rainforests and caves. The exploratory project integrates behavior, ecology, and genetics to answer questions regarding the evolution of group-living. The field expedition will take place at a semi-remote field station in Puerto Rico during the month of August 2012. In addition to gaining experience and training, field station housing and a shared vehicle will be provided. 

Duties: Volunteers will assist in mark-recapture surveys, collection and preservation of whole specimens and tissue samples, in situ and ex situ behavioral observations, and data collection and entry. Field sites include subtropical moist forest and karst caves. 

Required qualifications: Successful applicants should be students or recent graduates fluent in English with high attention to detail, good organization skills, a willingness to learn, and a good sense of humor. Top applicants will have some experience with field research, data collection, and scientific methodology. Training will be provided for the specific skills required for this position. Past experience or technical skills in caving are not required. Lastly, successful applicants should be enthused by the challenging field conditions explained below. 

Field conditions: Applicants should be comfortable performing physically demanding work under adverse conditions, often late at night, and with limited or no supervision. Assistants should be comfortable with tight spaces, high humidity/heat/rain, “creepy crawlies”, dissection, and navigating forests at night. Applicants should expect to work late at night for parts of the project, as the study organism is nocturnal. Other preferred qualifications: Fluency in Spanish; previous experience in field studies relating to arachnology, entomology, behavioral ecology, genetics, geographic information systems, geology, or tropical ecology; experience in the outdoors, including wilderness survival training, first responder training, and the ability to navigate with a map and compass; experience with GPS and other surveying equipment, photography and video, specimen preservation and labeling, invertebrate dissection, and working with arachnids or nocturnal animals. 

How to apply: Please send a cover letter, CV/resume, and up to three references or letters of recommendation to Kenny Chapin via email (chapinkj@gmail.com) along with any questions you may have. The subject heading of the e-mail should read “Behavioral Ecology Field Assistant”. The cover letter should express your (1) interest in this type of research, (2) long term goals relative to this position, and (3) credentials and qualifications that make you the best applicant. There is no official application deadline, but applicants are encouraged to apply ASAP to ensure their application gets reviewed. Contact: Kenneth J. Chapin Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of California, Los Angeles www.kennychapin.com chapinkj@gmail.com

Contact Person: Kenneth J. Chapin

Contact eMail: chapinkj@gmail.com