Paid Technician: Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Technician (OR, WA)
Real Time Research, Inc. is seeking a Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Technician to assist in monitoring piscivorous colonial waterbird colonies in and around the Columbia River (American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, Brandt’s cormorants, Caspian terns, ring-billed gulls, and California gulls), with the goal of quantifying avian predation impacts on Endangered Species Act-listed juvenile salmonids. Deadline to apply: March 24, 2025!
Agency/Organization: Real Time Research
Company: Real Time Research, Inc. (RTR; www.realtimeresearch.com) is located in Bend, Oregon and specializes in biological field studies, data collection, data analysis, and technical writing. RTR employees have been conducting fish and wildlife research, monitoring, and evaluation studies in the Pacific Northwest for more than 20 years.
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington; Astoria, Oregon. Field sites span the Columbia River basin. Operations will be based out of the project field house located in the Tri-Cities, WA area, where the research team will live for the duration of the project.
Website: Click here
Job Description: We are seeking a Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Technician to assist in monitoring piscivorous colonial waterbird colonies in and around the Columbia River (American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, Brandt’s cormorants, Caspian terns, ring-billed gulls, and California gulls), with the goal of quantifying avian predation impacts on Endangered Species Act-listed juvenile salmonids. This project is a continuation of long-term collaboration with researchers from RTR and Oregon State University. For additional project information please visit www.birdresearchnw.org.
Principal duties (~ % time) include (1) boat-based colony surveys (30%) during the breeding season to assess colony species, distribution, size, and chronology, (2) to assist senior researchers with periodic aerial surveys (10-15%), and (3) to detect fish PIT tags deposited by birds (30%). The remainder of time (25-30%) will involve (4) training in field related tasks (e.g. boating, Lowrance Navigation Systems), data analysis (e.g. ArcGIS Pro, Avenza, ESRI Field Maps), and data entry (e.g. Microsoft Office programs). The position requires working extended hours, in all conditions (wet, cold, windy, smoky, or hot), with limited and irregular days off. The work can be physically strenuous and may involve sitting and standing for long periods of time using binoculars, spotting scopes, and PIT-tag detection antennas. Colony surveys and PIT-tag detection require boating on rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and include trailering boats. The technician may also be required to train volunteers of other agencies with PIT-tag recovery and/or colony monitoring.
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Wildlife Science, or a related field. Must possess a valid U.S. Driver’s License and be able to pass a criminal and driving background check prior to hire. Strong preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated boating experience.
Wage: Monthly salary of $3,000 – $3,150 (depending on experience). Shared housing (approx. value $800/month), cell phone stipend ($25/month), and monthly grocery stipend ($250/month) will also be provided. Paid time off (PTO) will accrue a rate of one paid day per month which must be used during the employment period for holidays or at other pre approved days. During overnight travel outside of the Tri-Cities, WA, an expense per diem is provided.
To apply: Send cover letter, resume/CV, and list of three professional references to Katie Adase at: katie.adase@realtimeresearch.com with the subject line: 2025 Field Technician Application. Letters of recommendation are encouraged. References checked only after approval by applicant.
Application Deadline: March 24, 2025
Start Date: Estimated start date April 21 – 28, 2025 and estimated end date October 3, 2025.
Contact: Katie Adase (katie.adase@realtimeresearch.com)
