Nesting Bird Technician

About Audubon

The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels thatwarn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet.

Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more ubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.

South Louisiana is a popular destination for tourists, fishermen, and beach goers. Birds, including Least Terns, Wilson s Plovers, Black Skimmers, and Common Nighthawks, nest on these beaches, creating the potential for disturbance by recreational users of private and public lands.

In partnership with other organizations, the Seasonal Coastal Bird Technician will help buffer beach-nesting bird sites against the threats of human disturbance, and work with community members to provide protection efforts and offer outreach and education opportunities to visitors. The program will have a strong bird-monitoring component, which will involve tracking nests, chicks, and their fates, to understand the impacts of human disturbance, predation, and other environmental stresses on breeding productivity.

Supervised by the Coastal Biologist, the Seasonal Coastal Bird Technician will demonstrate and gain skills in outreach and education (virtual and/or in-person), as well as have opportunities to monitor and protect charismatic beach-nesting bird species.

We will hire three full-time seasonal positions, two based in Cameron Parish, LA and one in Grand Isle, LA. The positions will start on 1 April and terminate in early August (~20 weeks). Please apply by March 2nd.

$19.00 / hour

• Posting and fencing nesting sites, monitoring disturbance rates, colony size, nest and chick fates, and fledging rates to determine productivity.
• Resighting banded adults and chicks to determine territory ownership and to confirm fledge success.
• Deploying game cameras on active nests and maintaining and organizing photos throughout the season.
• Working with full-time staff to engage local communities, organizing volunteer events, and using social media to increase awareness around protecting sensitive beach-nesting birds.
• Providing virtual/in-person educational programs for visiting beach goers and local communities.
• Enter data daily and maintain order and quality for all existing datasets.
• Exact combinations of responsibilities may vary among positions but require working during early mornings and sometimes evenings, on weekends and holidays, and in the Louisiana summer heat. Working on Memorial Day and 4th of July holiday weekends is required. Work weeks will average 40 hours per week across the term of employment but may vary and be unpredictable each week, depending on program needs.
• Joint planning and execution of shared priorities.
• Maintains and fosters culture of safety.

• Must have completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, Environmental Education, or a related field.
• At least one season of work experience in avian ecology or coastal ecosystems; experience banding birds without supervision is a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal as well as written and oral communication skills.
• Must be willing to work long hours outside under physically demanding conditions (hot, humid, biting insects) and to live in group field housing (provided).
• Must be comfortable interacting with the public and staff of multiple partner organizations.
• Must have strong organizational skills and great attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint…