Job Opportunities at Bat Conservation and Management
The following temporary or full time positions are available. We occasionally accommodate a small number of volunteers or interns to assist with projects, however you must be willing to participate for a minimum of 1 week.
Send email to contact listed below. Be sure to state rabies vaccination status, most recent titer check, any prior bat experience, acoustic monitoring/data processing experience, sports/hobbies in the first few sentences when contacting BCM. Also be SURE to state your availability, as we will be hiring qualified people well before the season to assist in the ramp up to the summer projects.
Contact:
Send resume and letter of interest to John Chenger, email jchenger@batmanagement.com
Position: Field Team LEADER or MEMBER
$175 and up (Member) $400 (Leader), per full night
Project Locations:
Somerset & Bedford County, PA
Approximate dates available:
May 15-August 15
Bat Conservation and Management is adding additional staff to assist with summer bat fieldwork. Applicants should be available May 15-August 15 for mist net and radio tracking surveys. Although schedules are flexible, we do require commitments of approximately a week at a time at a minimum. Applicants for Field Team Leader are required to have a current Federal Indiana bat capture permit, or be recognized by PA Game Commission as a Qualified Bat Surveyor or Bat Identifier, and be in good standing with agencies. All others would be consider Field Team Members. Send resume/work history and letter of interest to John Chenger, email jchenger@batmanagement.com
Duties throughout the field season include transporting, installing, and removing harp trap and mist net equipment, removing bats from mist nets, camera trapping, maintaining acoustic monitoring gear, maintaining general equipment, documentation, data processing, and conducting vegetation surveys within the study area. Applicants must be able to take accurate notes, communicate clearly, and operate independently. Experience with mist nets, radio telemetry, orienteering, and basic northeast vegetation knowledge would be helpful. The position requires long hours of extensive hiking at night throughout rugged uneven terrain or in waist deep water. Applicant should be able to hike with a 50+ lb. pack in inclement weather. Working hours vary each day with times usually between 5 PM and 3 AM, up to 7 days a week. If radio telemetry work is involved, overnight work is expected. Applicants should be in good physical condition.
Fieldwork lodging is generally at commercial campgrounds, cabins, AirBnB, or hotels near the study. Employees will almost always have access to refrigerator, stove, showers, potable water, and electricity. It is expected that employees will provide their own personal items such as sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, boots, and other appropriate clothing if required. No backcountry camping is involved. You may be required to occasionally drive your personal vehicle to work sites on gravel roads (4x4 helpful but not required)
You must be able to work full time for the majority of the core field season (approx. May 15 thru August 15), 7 days a week for several weeks at a time. Days off will vary. Typical breaks occur around Memorial Day and July 4, other times upon request. Please note: this is -NOT- an office job with regular hours and regular days off.
Requirements:
You MUST be a US citizen with a valid drivers license.
You MUST have rabies pre-exposure vaccination. The vaccination or recent titer check is the responsibility of the applicant. Be aware it may take a month to obtain the vaccination. Please mention vaccination, most recent titer check, and any prior bat experience in the first few sentences when contacting BCM.
You MUST attend a mandatory training orientation. You are required to carry your personal smartphone in the field to facilitate communication and logistics. You should demonstrate an ability to accept all responsibility of the job and assigned tasks, and take initiative to immediately solve problems. You should have ability to accept change and be optimistic and persistent even under adversity. You should be prepared to work independently at field locations despite occasional adverse field conditions for a few weeks at a time.