Wildlife Research Assistant

Job Details Job Location: Phoenix Zoo - Phoenix, AZ Position Type: Internship Salary Range: Undisclosed Description Department: ACNC/Phoenix Zoo Field Conservation Research Department Supervisor: Field Research Project Manager FLSA Status: Part Time (up to 24 hours/week), 8-13 weeks (January to April), Non-exempt Pay: $18.50/hour Duration/hours: Up to 210 hours maximum; half in office, half remote (optional). General Statement: This part-time, paid internship focuses on managing, organizing, and sorting data from the Atascosa Complex wildlife study Arizona, USA. After initial training, the Wildlife Research Assistant ('WRA') will be responsible for refining database & server management, ensuring data sheets are properly managed and up-to-date, organizing appropriate data sorting timelines and facilitating data sharing between other students to maximize efficiency, sorting and identifying data, inventorying field gear, possibly preparing documents for grants and permits, possibly conducting initial analyses and summary statistics, and assisting the Field Research Project Manager as needed. The WRA will also be exposed to the formal research process of question development, study design, data collection, and, potentially, data analysis, and writing. However, priority for this position will be data organization and photo/video sorting for the Atascosa Complex Project. Essential Duties: * Provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests by maintaining a WILD (friendly, helpful, positive and professional) working attitude and appearance. * Maintain, organize, and sort data from Atascosa Complex Project, ensuring not to lose any data. * Properly manage Excel sheets and record metadata on camera locations and information collected in the field. * Successfully upload and back-up data to provided servers and website platforms. * Sort videos by following instructions on Sanderson's Camera Sweet method (resources provided) to transform the video data into usable-for-analysis information. * Identify native Arizona wildlife, especially mammals. * Make data easily accessible to other volunteers and interns and ensure data is being processed efficiently. * Participate in appropriate field conservation/research activities as assigned and as timing permits, under the supervision of Phoenix Zoo staff. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. Management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments.) Qualifications * Current enrollment in a four-year degree track in life sciences with a minimum 30 credit hours completed; OR a four-year degree in life sciences completed within the last year. * Keen attention to detail and experience with computer file/data management. * Ability to creatively troubleshoot technical issues and to problem solve. * Demonstrated interest in wildlife research and conservation. * Familiarity and previous experience with Arizona wildlife - especially mammals. * Previous research and/or data management experience, particularly with wildlife camera data in Arizona. * Ability to work well in groups and independently. * Ability to bend, stoop, crawl and walk on uneven surfaces. * Willingness and ability to participate in multi-day field work, including overnight camping in remote areas. * Ability to work indoors and outside, often in extreme weather conditions. * Ability to pass pre-employment background check and drug test.

Created: 2024-11-20