Species at risk, Biodiversity conservation

Position: BC Species-at-Risk Biologist
Type: summer job (ages 15-30)
Organization: Birds Canada
Location: in-person field work; various locations in BC

Are you looking to channel your skills into meaningful, energizing work that will directly contribute to protecting our natural world? Do you want to work with an exceptional group of passionate and caring colleagues?

Birds Canada is the country’s premier national organization dedicated to bird conservation. Every day, our thousands of caring donors, 100+ dedicated staff, and 70,000+ outstanding volunteers are taking action to help us better understand, appreciate, and conserve birds and their habitats. Together, we are Canada’s Voice for Birds – will you join us?

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Biologist will be collecting field data related to bird species-at-risk in BC (Long-billed Curlew, Lewis's Woodpecker, Common Nighthawk, and Black Swift). This work will include but is not limited to: (1) preparing equipment needed to survey birds and bird nests, (2) traveling with field staff to remote nesting sites to search for nests, (3) conducting nest monitoring at field sites to assess nest productivity of species-at-risk, (4) conducting predator counts at nest sites, and (5) assisting in drone surveys of grassland sites to detect nesting birds. This work will include learning basic field safety skills and bird identification skills. This position may require working effectively with a team of biologists, technicians, and volunteers from various organizations participating in bird species-at-risk programs in BC.

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS

This fixed term (16 week) role reports to the BC Projects Coordinator. The technician will be responsible for fieldwork planning, careful data collection throughout the field season, and helping with coordination of outreach and volunteer involvement in the projects. Anticipated start date for this role is May 5, 2025.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$21.14 - $22.95 per hour commensurate with previous experience for an approximately 40-hour workweek. Birds Canada offers all staff the equivalent of 20 vacation and 12 Personal Health Days per year, which will be prorated according to contract start date and duration.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Obtaining permission to survey sites via communicating with landowners/volunteers/public
• Assisting with drone surveys to locate Long-billed Curlew nests
• Long-billed Curlew nest monitoring
• Assisting with the capture, banding and satellite tagging of Long-billed Curlews
• Conducting nesting tree surveys to locate Lewis’s Woodpecker nests
• Lewis’s Woodpecker nest monitoring using cameras
• Conducting occupancy surveys for Black Swifts at waterfall/canyon sites in southwestern BC
• Black Swift nest searching and monitoring
• Entering and organizing data, and maintaining databases
• Help with Indigenous engagement, outreach events and activities, and ongoing landowner stewardship
• Assisting with data analyses, and the development of technical reports and publications
• Other tasks, as required

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience identifying and counting birds by sight
• Comfortable working alone outdoors for extended period
• Comfortable working in rugged terrain and field conditions (bears, mosquitoes, early mornings)
• High level of organization and initiative
• Careful and accurate attention to data collection, entry, and management
• Strong communication skills for working effectively with supervisors, co-workers, volunteers, Indigenous staff members, landowners, and land managers
• Meet Canada Summer Jobs requirements (be between 15 and 30 years old and be legally entitled to work in Canada)
• Valid driver’s license (Class 5 preferred, Class 7 accepted)
• Wilderness Remote First Aid certification, or able to obtain certification prior to start date (costs of the course are reimbursed by Birds Canada), valid First Aid and CPR C certification (obtained before contract start date)

ASSETS

• Strong identification skills: grassland birds, aerial insectivores, and breeding birds of British Columbia in general
• Experience with nest searching and monitoring
• Experience with bird handling/banding
• Stewardship or outreach experience, particularly related to species-at-risk
• GIS/mapping
• Data management and analysis
• Desire to pursue a career as Biologist or Researcher

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

The successful candidate must have either completed or is enrolled in a Bachelors degree program at College or University

The successful candidate will have experience working with birds in a field setting, preferably with grassland birds, woodpeckers, and/or aerial insectivores such as swallows or swifts

TO APPLY

Please submit your resume along with a covering letter outlining how your experience makes you the perfect candidate for this role via the Birds Canada Online Job Portal by 5pm EST on February 16th, 2025.

This role is in-person (field work) at various locations within the province

Birds Canada will provide accommodation throughout the recruitment, selection, and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.

At Birds Canada, we are committed to fostering a culture that values Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation, and Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, as integral approaches that shape all that we do in our organization and for nature (read our full commitment to inclusion at this LINK). We oppose prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination, and aim to ensure that people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experiences feel a sense of belonging and can participate in protecting wild birds and their habitats.

We are actively seeking to improve our ability to reach all candidates with our job postings. Applicants belonging to racialized groups, who identify as Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or who have a disability, are therefore welcome to mention this in their cover letter, if they feel comfortable, although this is not a requirement

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