Junior Specialist - California Sentinel Site Network: 2 Field Biologist

The UC Natural Reserve System (UCNRS) is the largest and most diverse network of university field stations in the world. Its 42 reserves include examples of most major ecosystems in California. These reserves provide secure sites for long-term environmental research, education, and public outreach. They enable monitoring of environmental data and provide a baseline for biodiversity, in the context of California's growing population and a changing global environment.

The California Sentinel Site Network (CA-SSN) is a partnership between the UCNRS and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), with other public and private land partners joining in the coming year. The CA-SSN aims to achieve conservation goals established by California 30x30 legislation. With nearly 100 planned biodiversity monitoring locations across the state, the CA-SSN will deliver open-access standardized biodiversity and climate data that will support university, agency, and NGO research to advance conservation and resource management solutions. In the next three years, UCNRS will establish roughly 160 monitoring sites across the 42 reserves. These sites will become long-term monitoring sites.

The UCNRS at UC Davis is seeking two skilled Field Biologists to join our team for the CA-SSN. The ideal candidate will help to deploy biodiversity monitoring equipment across the UCNRS, assist with data collection, management, and analytics across the CA-SSN, and in collaboration with the PI and Project Lead, help further biodiversity studies by aiding in interdisciplinary studies of remote sensing technologies and/or experimental methodology to sample herpetofauna, insects, and/or plants across California ecosystems.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE

RESEARCH (90%)

Work with the Project Lead, PI and co-PIs, and other faculty and agency partners (including CDFW) to plan and participate in the deployment of biodiversity monitoring technology at sampling sites and data collection, management, and analyses. The Field Biologists will participate in field studies to collect environmental/abiotic data and mammal, bird, herpetofauna, insect, and plant biodiversity data using novel technologies.

The Field Biologists will also manage, curate, and analyze CA-SSN data as it becomes available to optimize field deployment and data collection, curation, and management strategies. Alongside this effort, the Field Biologists are expected to review literature and keep up on methodologies associated with the application of biodiversity data and monitoring practices.

This position will require becoming familiar with the sound and image repositories specified in the protocols (https://shorturl.at/mc4PZ) and developing processing workflows. It also requires assisting the students and the Project Lead in identification of species as part of data processing. CA-SSN seeks to design further biodiversity monitoring efforts, including novel methods drawing from remote sensing technologies and/or experimental approaches to sample herpetofauna, insects, and/or plants, which the Field Biologists will be expected to evaluate as part of their work.

The Field Biologists will also work alongside multiple student volunteers (2-10) to configure and set up field equipment, travel on field campaigns together, and work to collect and manage datasets, including QA/QC and performing summaries and analyses of CA-SSN biodiversity data, that will contribute to advancing monitoring methodology.

The Field Biologists are expected to lead fieldwork (entailing equipment deployment and data collection; 75%) and perform data management work when not in the field (data entry, post-processing QA/QC, curation, repository uploads, data synthesis, and statistical analysis; 25%). The ideal candidates will bring strong field-based skills, data management and analytics experience, a deep understanding of conservation science, and the ability to work in teams to deliver impactful results.

The Field biologist must document findings through detailed notes, photographs, and emails, keeping track of all field data, and organizing it as it is collected using predetermined databases and repositories. They will also oversee the management of datasets, including QA/QC, summaries, and analyses of CA-SSN biodiversity data. The Field Biologists will also assist the PI with learning and preparing equipment and data protocols for field sampling, managing and evaluating data for analyses, summarizing data, and drafting documents and presentations of their work.

They will also actively and significantly be involved in creative and collaborative activities, working to progress research through publishing and designing future research. This will include reviewing journal articles; engaging in discussions of research to assist with data interpretation; assisting more senior researchers in preparing manuscripts for peer review, by writing methods sections and commenting on draft manuscripts; and participating in the design of studies as part of drafting proposals. They will also apply their skills and experience to help revise study designs.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE & ACTIVITY (5%)

Review current literature or reports that advance work related to the CA-SSN. In collaboration with other project participants (government, NGO, and academic), work to disseminate key findings that advance the CA-SSN (posters or oral presentations at regional or national conferences) and engage in local workshops with CA-SSN stakeholders to further increase the impact of CA-SSN. As time permits, evaluate new methods or technologies that align with the goals of the CA-SSN.

UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (5%)

Participate in department and campus committees as allowed by funding source.

Key Responsibilities Include:

* Collaborate with field site personnel and UC Davis project leadership to select ~160 field sampling locations at 40 UCNRS field stations for CA-SSN equipment setup and deployment.

* Preconfigure and set up CA-SSN equipment and other hardware for monitoring following established protocols (see https://shorturl.at/rKNXI).

* Help to lead fieldwork to site camera traps, acoustic recording devices, Motus towers, and other biodiversity monitoring equipment.

* Collect data from remote sensing hardware and perform data management tasks, following established protocols (https://shorturl.at/mc4PZ), including performing QA/QC on data from each device and associated dataset, validating observations in the datasets (birds and bats), organizing and curating data from each site device, and uploading datasets as required to repositories.

* Identify bird and bat species through acoustic recordings.

* Similarly, perform visual identification of animals using camera trap images.

* Use tools and equipment such as GPS, cameras, and sampling kits to collect data.

* Document findings through detailed notes and photographs.

* As time permits, analyze data and prepare reports, charts, and presentations summarizing research results.

* In collaboration with the Project Lead and PI, coordinate with UC researchers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, community groups, and other stakeholders to further advance CA-SSN collaborations and establish potential outlets for data, including participating in local workshops for partner input to develop CA-SSN metrics.

* Train and mentor interns or research assistants as needed.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

* Bachelor's degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related field.

* Experience in field research or biological surveying.

* Familiarity with vertebrates for visual identification from camera trap images.

* Proficiency in data collection, QC, and summary statistics.

* Strong observational skills and attention to detail.

* Ability to work in challenging outdoor conditions.

* Flexibility to travel and work irregular hours as required by field projects.

* Strong written and verbal communication skills.

* Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

* Proficiency in the use of camera traps and/or acoustic monitoring systems.

* Background in bird song or bat call identification.

In general, it is inappropriate to appoint an individual with a Master's or doctoral degree in the relevant discipline or a baccalaureate degree plus three or more years of experience with the specialized methods as a Junior Specialist

Division: https://environment.ucdavis.edu/programs/uc-davis-natural-reserves

* Bachelor's degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related field.

* Experience in field research or biological surveying.

* Familiarity with vertebrates for visual identification from camera trap images.

* Proficiency in data collection, QC, and summary statistics.

* Strong observational skills and attention to detail.

* Ability to work in challenging outdoor conditions.

* Flexibility to travel and work irregular hours as required by field projects.

* Strong written and verbal communication skills.

* Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

* Proficiency in the use of camera traps and/or acoustic monitoring systems.

* Background in bird song or bat call identification

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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