Shorebird Outreach and Monitoring Technician

Assist in increasing wetland and shallow water habitat for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This position will engage private landowners to manage Conservation Incentive Program (CIP) contracts and conduct waterbird monitoring/surveying on acres enrolled in Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative (MBRI) programs administered through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under Farm Bill programs. The technician will be expected to share fieldwork results with stakeholders and assist with shorebird management workshops for conservation professionals and landowners.

Manomet is a 501(c)(3) organization that empowers stakeholders through science and works with partners to make a world where ecosystems and human communities thrive. Since Manomet’s beginnings as a bird banding operation in 1969, its science and research have expanded to focus on ecosystem management and resilience, shorebird conservation, and educating tomorrow’s leaders about the importance of the natural world. Workplace diversity, science, and climate change are the fundamental principles driving Manomet’s work today.

Manomet is working on the ground with NRCS and other regional partners, landowners, and producers to promote on-farm practices that will increase habitat for shorebirds through the Working Lands for Wildlife Shorebirds of Louisiana Wetlands program.

Farmers offer a significant opportunity to collaborate on conservation goals. By adopting post-harvest practices that retain water, fields used to produce essential food for humans can also benefit migratory shorebirds and other wildlife.

• Conduct outreach and technical assistance with landowners/agricultural producers
• Coordinate with agricultural producers to administer CIP contracts and conduct surveys without hindering farming operations
• Work with the NRCS to increase Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) programs through landowner engagement/technical assistance
• Conduct waterbird surveys throughout Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana during shorebird migration/non-breeding season, including logistical planning
• Conduct shorebird identification, counts, and surveys, especially in interior wetlands
• Manage CIP contracts, ensure landowner adherence to contracts
• Identify eligible producers for programmatic enrollment
• Conduct field work and data entry

• Undergraduate degree, with an emphasis on Natural Resource Management/Ecology/Wildlife Biology or related field
• Ability to meet timelines
• Exceptional organizational skills, diligence, enthusiasm, and demonstrated ability to work independently
• Familiarity with conservation projects, especially waterbird conservation
• Minimum of 3 years of experience with shorebird identification and shorebird surveys
• Excellent mapping and navigational abilities (handheld GPS and description maps) to plan and conduct surveys efficiently and in the correct locations
• Proficiency with binoculars, spotting scopes, Microsoft suite, and mapping.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
• Must have a reliable method of transportation and a valid driver’s license
• Must successfully pass a background check

• Field Technician or equivalent experience
• Experience as a farm hand or familiarity with agriculture
• Familiarity with Farm Bill programs, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE)
• Ability to use remote sensing software for monitoring and mapping
• Ability to use jumper cables, change a tire, unload/load ATV, hook up, and drop a trailer

• Ability and willingness to travel within the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley to complete job duties
• This position requires considerable time driving, walking, and conducting static surveys using binoculars/spotting scopes.
• Ability to stand, bend, lift objects up to 50 lbs., traverse uneven ground, and complete physically arduous surveys on a regular basis
• Applicants will be expected to conduct surveys in variable and sometimes harsh weather (wind, rain, heat, humidity,…