Summer Interns – Siskiyou Deer and Puma Project

The Siskiyou Deer and Puma Project is looking to recruit several interns for 2 months for our field intensive data collection in Siskiyou County, Northern California. Applicants will have a B.Sc. degree in Wildlife Biology/Ecology/Environmental Science/Natural Resource Management or related field. Ideal candidates will be passionate about spending time in the outdoors and comfortable carrying out research as well as living in small groups in remote areas. While some fieldwork will occur in sunny weather, other fieldwork will take place during cold temperatures with inclement weather conditions possible. Interns must be able to hike extensively and navigate on terrain with moderate ruggedness that is predominantly forested. Interns must be proficient in the use of handheld GPS units, map and compass. Interns and other research staff will be camping for the duration of fieldwork.

Main field responsibilities:

• Assist project researchers and field technicians in their efforts to locate, capture, sample and record data for mule deer fawns
• Help project personnel with daily radio telemetry monitoring of collared fawns
• Assist with deployment, service and maintenance of camera traps for monitoring predators
• As needed, accompany project staff to fawn mortality site investigations and associated habitat surveys

Opportunistically and infrequently, interns might:

• Assist project staff with sampling vegetation for nutritional quality analysis of deer foods
• Join project staff for mortality site investigations of collared adult deer
• Accompany researchers and field technicians to collared puma GPS location clusters

Campsite responsibilities:

• Organize and interpret camera trap images and enter information into a dedicated database
• Sort field samples and enter data into specific project files
• Have a proactive role in the running and maintenance of the research camp

Compensation:

• Interns will receive a contribution to cover basic living expenses

Application process:

• Please send brief (half a page) cover letter, CV and contact information for 2 references to Bogdan Cristescu: bcristes@ucsc.edu (by April 26, 2019). The e-mail subject line should be “Siskiyou Summer Internship”
• Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted