Ecorana Environmental Tropical Herpetofauna Technician Internship Job Vacancy in Canada


Position: Tropical Herpetofauna
Technician Internship
Type: volunteer position, 4-6 weeks, $25 US/day for accom. (see below)
Organization: Ecorana Environmental http://www.treesociety.org
Location: Belize, Central America

Internship Specifics:

Want to learn more about neotropical amphibian and reptile
(collectively called herpetofauna, or herps) species, herp census
techniques, and herp field work? Want to spend time living and
learning about the jungle in the beautiful country of Belize? Want to
learn from professional herpetologists? Then this is the internship
for you!

The goal of this internship is to give the student various experiences
in tropical herpetofauna studies that will aid the student in
developing thei

r skills for a variety of future education and
employment opportunities. The main component of the project will be to
work with Ecorana tutors and T.R.E.E.S staff in establishing long-term
herpetofauna monitoring projects (habitat characterization,
observational surveys, and mark-recapture specifically for frogs and
turtles). These baseline data will contribute to future ecological
studies on frog and turtle populations present on the T.R.E.E.S
property and elsewhere in the adjacent protected areas in the Maya
Mountains.

In addition to the survey work to be conducted at the T.R.E.E.S
Hosting Center, the intern(s) will also have the opportunity to visit
other herpetofauna conservation projects in Belize and volunteer for a
few days on them, including with TIDE in Toledo on their Hickatee
radio-tracking project, at the Belizean herpetarium and Belize zoo,
and on the Green Iguana Breeding Project in San Ignacio.

Tasks:
• Learn tropical herps by sight and sound in the Maya Mountains.
• Learn and perform a variety of herp surveys that will be most
adequate to answer project questions, including: habitat
characterization, visual-acoustic encounter surveys along transect
lines and as time-constrained search, occupancy modelling methodology,
capture-mark-recapture, etc.
• Possibility of learning frog recording techniques.
• Help in establishing a more complete frogs of the Maya Mountains audio CD.
• Work with T.R.E.E.S biologists, international collaborators, and
other interns on the development of protocol design and complete a
short 4-5 page summary report that will help to establish future
research protocols for continuing field work and data collection.
• Implement protocols in the field using the help of T.R.E.E.S staff
and Ecorana tutors to find the best places to set-up long-term
monitoring locations.
• Be trained on use of GPS to navigate to and mark survey locations.
• Possibility of mapping frog/turtle habitat using ArcGIS if intern
has ability to use ArcGIS software.
• Share knowledge with locals and with other fields.
• Learn to enter data in a systematic manner and compile it into a
scientific report with introduction and literature review, methods,
results (including basic statistical analysis), and discussion using
peer-reviewed scientific articles.
• Depending on involvement in project, may have opportunity to
collaborate on future publications.

Desired Qualifications:

We are looking for interns who are independent yet willing to work in
a team environment. Applicants should have a certain level of
herpetofauna identification skills and should be interested in
improving their techniques for proper identification and survey
methods applicable in the tropics. Applicants should have a desire for
learning about the incredible biodiversity of Belize through
systematic field surveys and data collection.
• Scientific research and writing skills (be able to navigate through
peer-reviewed resources and write a basic literature review).
• Previous experience working with amphibians and/or reptiles in the
Temperate zone (minimum) or in the Tropics (asset).
• Previous experience conducting field work at night (after dark).
• Previous experience working in streams and conducting stream ecology
field work.
• Knowledge of herp inventorying and monitoring techniques an asset.
• Be physically fit (spend long hours in the field under often
difficult conditions).
• Experience with wildlife recording techniques an asset.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience using sound recording software, statistical analysis
software, and ArcGIS software an asset.
• Flexible easy-going attitude.

Physical Requirements and Work Conditions:
• Ability to tolerate high temperature and high humidity
• Ability to work in environments where exposure to spiky plants,
toxic vines, scorpions, spiders, ticks and biting flies is common. In
addition, it is the jungle; venomous snakes are uncommon but present.
• Ability to live in remote conditions away from electronic amenities
• Possible indoor work is performed in a typical office setting.
• Ability to lift, carry, and position objects weighing up to 30 pounds.

Terms:
• Multiple positions available.
• No application deadline.
• Start-date: September 2014 (but flexible); after first internship,
positions available year-round for this continuing monitoring project.
• Length of position: minimum 6 weeks; longer is preferable.
• Schedule: 30 hours per week, Monday–Friday.

Fees:

Ecorana fees for internships for international students are $25
US/day. This includes lodging and use of all facilities at the
T.R.E.E.S Hosting Center, training on methodologies by Ecorana
biologists and local T.R.E.E.S professionals in their field of study,
as well as mentorship from Ecorana tutors for the duration of the
intended internship. International students must have international
travel medical insurance during their stay in Belize. At the
discretion of the T.R.E.E.S managers, local Belizean students
(especially those not staying on site) can have fees reduced or
exchanged for work. All interns (international and local) are required
to pay for transportation to/from the site and their food while on
site (cooking facilities provided).

To Apply:

Please email your resume and a thoughtful cover letter to:
info@ecorana.ca (international students)
OR info@treesociety.org (Belizean students)

Please indicate the position title in your email subject line. No
phone calls please.

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