Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk Field Assistant Positions

Job Description: The Peregrine Fund is seeking field assistants (2) to assist in research and restoration of the endangered Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus venator) in the central mountains of Puerto Rico. The project goal is to determine the population status and number of nesting pairs, and increase the productivity through captive propagation and release of young and nest site management. Field work will be conducted from January through end of August and involves searching for territorial pairs and individuals, monitoring previously known nesting pairs, assisting in propagation activities and release of young back to the wild. The early breeding season work will require driving mountain roads and hiking in rainforests to survey and search from vantage points or lookouts over public and private montane forested habitat for displaying hawks and potential nesting pairs. Experience trapping and banding raptors and accessing nests is highly desirable. The candidates should be in good physical condition as work will involve rigorous off-trail hiking in undulating forested habitat to locate potential and known nesting pairs and conducted nest observations for productivity. Later in the season all young raised in captivity will be released and monitored until they reach independence. An applicant has to be comfortable working long hours in humid and wet weather, self-motivated and able to work both alone and with others. Candidates must work well in a team environment and be able to communicate issues and/or concerns in a timely and respectful manor. Above all, a positive attitude and desire to work and learn are qualities expected of candidates. The field team will be in constant communication with a field supervisor and propagation specialist. Some intermediate/advanced Spanish is desirable and beneficial.

Seasonal Stipend: A monthly stipend will be provided for the 8 months and to be determined based on experience.

Housing: Will be provided.

January-May: 3-bedroom house with a kitchen and laundry.

June-September: rustic cabins with shared rooms. Fresh running water and electricity are not guaranteed at all times, candidates must be willing and able to live a “camping” lifestyle.

Vehicle: the use of shared vehicles will be provided.

Qualification Required

• A valid driver’s license is required

Qualification Highly Desirable:

• Previous field experience with avian species, as it is important to be familiar with raptor behavior and identification
• Navigating with topography maps and hand-held GPS units
• Conversational Spanish
• Experience using telemetry to track wildlife
• Banding and trapping of raptors
• Previous experience in avian incubation and/or rearing young avian species
• Tree climbing for accessing nests
• Building/carpentry experience

To Apply: Submit electronically (email) by December 1, 2019 or until the positions are filled.

• Resume/cv (two pages maximum) with three references
• A one page cover letter highlighting field experience
• Name the file as LastName_FirstName_PRSSHFieldBiologist

Contact: Russell Thorstrom: RThorstrom@Peregrinefund.org or Melissa Murillo: murillo.melissa@peregrinefund.org