Wildlife & Habitat Conservation, Fieldwork

Position: Wildlife & Habitat Intern
Organization: rare Charitable Research Reserve
Location: Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario

Who We Are

We are a community-based urban land trust and environmental institute that stewards over 1,500 acres of land in Waterloo Region/Wellington County.

The land we live on, work on and derive benefit from were taken away from the original stewards, and it is our goal to restore that connection and to work towards building ethical, reciprocal relationships. This includes learning about and acting on our responsibilities as settlers and unlearning our cultural and historical biases. Most of the land currently in our care is located within the Haldimand Tract, which is territory of the Onkwehon:we peoples of the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit Anishinaabe First Nation. In addition, we steward land at the border of the Upper Canada Treaty No. 3 and Treaty 19 which is also territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We honour and respect the sovereignty of these First Nations and their ancestors.

Conservation is our priority, and our goal is to make the environment more relevant in peoples’ lives through environmental research and education. Modelled after an academic institute or research lab, the culture we strive for is a casual work environment that is positive, supportive, collegial and often experimental. As a registered charity, we are not working towards making the biggest profit for a corporation but working towards finding the best ways on how we want to live sustainably. You can find more about our culture and values, who we are looking for and what you can expect in the Frequently Asked Question section at: https://www.raresites.org/about/careers#jobs

The Role

Reporting to the Planning Ecologist, the Wildlife & Habitat Intern will work collegially as part of the Land Management team with program advisors, colleagues and volunteers, to take a pivotal role in rare’s Turtle Nursery, including a focused effort on Blandings turtles in the area, and other herpetological projects (salamander and snake monitoring), in addition to assisting with land restoration and maintenance efforts as required. You will work in close collaboration with the Conservation Technician, in addition to the Conservation Scientist, seasonal staff and students.

1. Turtle Nursery Project

• Nest Collection - vulnerable turtle nests will be collected by staff, according to the collection protocol, and artificially incubated. Locations of the nests will be recorded. This year a project with a special focus on Blandings turtles will be initiated, with a goal of collecting and incubating several nests. Accurate record keeping and data management is central to the effort.
• Nest protectors - nests that are not classified as vulnerable in need of collection will be protected using nest protectors, monitored throughout the duration of the project. The intern will monitor nest protectors as well as coordinate volunteers to keep accurate record of active nest protectors throughout the season. The intern will also manage the collection of nest protectors when the nest is confirmed to have hatched out at the end of the season.
• Hatchling Release - turtle nests will hatch in mid-late August and into early September. The intern, together with staff and volunteers, will measure each hatchling, make necessary notes of their condition, and keep the hatchlings organized with their specific nests to avoid cross contamination. Many hatchlings require extra care when hatched and require extra time before ready to be released, which the intern with the rare land management team will monitor. Hatchlings can be kept within the facility for 3-7 days before release. When a nest is ready the intern will release hatchlings back to their respective nest collection location.
• Volunteer Management - Members of the public will report any nests they find in unsafe areas to the “Turtle Hotline”, where the intern with document said calls for the land management team to collect the nest at the soonest date. The intern will help to organize information provided by volunteers as well as coordinate volunteers with their respective releases. The intern will also maintain communication with nest protector monitors, to check in on the status of nest protectors across the region.
• Reporting - data management is a critical aspect of the Turtle Nursery. All collected nests, protected nests and hatchling release sights will have their coordinates taken at the site. Mapped points will be included in the Turtle Restoration Project Final Report to document our annual activities. A summary of all activities for the season will be included in a final report. The intern will contribute to the report as well as provide feedback gathered from their experience.

2. Herpetological Monitoring

• Provide assistance to the seasonal salamander monitoring program at the Blair property.
• Provide assistance to snake monitoring program initiated in 2024.
• Support herpetological monitoring for funded research and restoration projects as required, such as rare’s forest corridor project to support Jefferson-complex salamanders.

3. Land Management and Maintenance

• Assisting with community and corporate volunteer events
• Assist with invasive species removal
• Assisting with the Native Plant Propagation program
• Assisting with trail monitoring and maintenance
• Assist with flora and fauna surveying
• Restoration projects
• Other duties, as required

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to follow detailed protocols
• Comfortable handling wildlife, experience with turtles preferred
• Experience taking accurate GPS locations and mapping location data
• Proficient using Microsoft Excel for data entry
• Experience working outdoors in all weather conditions including intense heat or precipitation
• Able to hike for prolonged periods of time over rough terrain and lift/carry up to 50lbs
• Valid G Driver’s License and access to a vehicle
• Knowledge of native, non-native, and invasive fauna is an asset
• Experience using a handheld GPS unit an asset
• Experience using iNaturalist is an asset
• Demonstrated experience in problem solving and good judgement.
• Demonstrated time-management and organizational skills.
• Flexibility with changing priorities and ability to remain focused to meet targeted timelines.

In addition to following all COVID-19 safety measures to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and guests, the rare Charitable Research Reserve requires all staff be fully vaccinated (at least two doses) against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

Don’t meet all requirements?

We don’t expect you to be perfect, but we want you to have confidence in your own ability to progress. If we decide to hire you, we want you to succeed and we will support and train you in areas that need developing. Conferences, training and mentorship by more experienced colleagues and volunteers are all considered part of your work and encouraged.

Work Environment

• A hybrid work model, responsibilities for this role are carried out primarily in our office and on site, and remotely when possible. This position requires extensive field work, particularly during certain times of the year. Tuesdays are in-office collaboration days.
• Required to work outside of regular office hours as needed, particularly during turtle nesting and hatching seasons, which is adjusted by flexible tracking system for time worked.
• Physical activity may include lifting boxes with materials, setting up equipment, etc., up to 20kg, ability to travel across all terrain types, including during inclement weather conditions.
• Invitation for voluntary participation on the JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization and Inclusion) committee.
• We operate across different sites and throughout the Region of Waterloo and Wellington County. This role may involve transporting turtle eggs and hatchlings, tools, and so forth. Access to a vehicle and a driver’s license is required.

Compensation Package

• This is an 8-month internship that is a full-time position with a salary of $21.30 per hour for 35 hours per week.

Additional Benefits

• Additional day off – beyond your annual vacation allotment of 7 days. In 2025, there is 1 extra paid holiday on June 30, 2025.
• 10 paid Personal Days per year pro-rated
• 2 paid Volunteer Days per year pro-rated to support community organizations/programs
• Overtime in lieu of regular working hours (35 hours/week) accrued at time and a half
• Possibility for flexible hours, easy to manage using the organisation’s HR portal (BambooHR)
• Opportunities for training, mentoring and professional development
• Support for taking initiative and pursuing aligned personal interest projects as time permits
• Monthly team building and social opportunities, including outings, lunches and being together on the land
• Dogs are welcome to visit the office in accordance with related policies
• Free employee parking

Deadline for applications is March 31, 2025.

Anticipated start date is April 14, 2025, and we expect you to have all prior obligations and any degrees completed by that date.

How To Apply

Applicants are invited to send their application as ONE attachment to the following email address: jobs@raresites.org

Only documents including a cover letter and resume compiled into ONE PDF file will be reviewed. Any application materials provided within the body (text) of your email or as separate documents will not be considered. Cover letters for this position may be addressed to Tom Woodcock. Please include the name of the position for which you are applying in the email subject line.

No phone calls or social media outreach please. Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.

As part of our commitment to racial justice, reconciliation, and equity building, we welcome individuals from marginalized communities including Black people, Indigenous people, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and self-identifying women candidates to apply for this position. We encourage people with disabilities to apply. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

We are dedicated to removing bias from our hiring process. For this reason, we have implemented an anonymous review component in our recruitment process. What does this mean? We will be removing your name, address, and e-mail address and any other potential identifying information from your application/resume prior to it being reviewed by the hiring manager, during the first stage of the recruitment process. If you are selected for an interview, this information will become available to the hiring manager only at that time.

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