Description
We are looking for two Wildlife Technicians to conduct surveys for California spotted owls in Tahoe National Forest. Positions will begin April 13, 2026, and end August 7, 2026, and technicians must commit to working through the entire period. Pay starts at $20.00 per hour depending upon experience. Housing will be provided if technicians agree to live in housing that UW has secured prior to hiring.
Wildlife Technicians will conduct surveys for spotted and barred owls, assess their reproductive status, locate nest and roost trees, assist in the capture/recapture and deployment of radio telemetry/GPS data loggers on owls, monitor movements of GPS tagged owls, program/deploy/retrieve Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs), care for equipment/lures, and record sightings of other animals encountered. Wildlife Technicians will also record/transcribe handwritten data into computer databases and help validate data that was collected in the field.
A typical work week is 40 hours, and frequent camping is required. Schedules will be irregular. For example, owl work will occur from the afternoon and in the hours surrounding twilight, and occasionally during nocturnal periods. Work involving the placement and maintenance of ARUs will be diurnal. Technicians may be required to rotate between owl and ARU duties. Work involving owl captures will be in pairs, but most other work will be solo. Work will often involve strenuous off-trail hiking in steep, forested terrain, during day or night. Snow may be encountered during April and early May.
Our results will be translated into recommendations to land management agencies responsible for maintaining viable spotted owl populations such as the US Forest Service.
Applicant interviews will occur after the closing date Jan. 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST . Applicants must apply through the UW-Madison website, https://jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/wildlife-technician-madison-wisconsin-united-states
To apply for this position, please provide:
Cover letter (required) – Refer to your related work experience, as it relates to the qualifications listed for the position.
Resume (required) - Detail your educational and professional background, as they relate to the qualifications listed for the position.
It’s important that your cover letter and resume reflect your experience for this position and clearly outlines how you meet the items listed in the qualifications section. Your application materials will be used during our evaluation to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job.
Requirements
Required Qualifications:
Demonstrated experience safely operating and using discretion while driving 4-wheel-drive vehicles on back-country roads.
Demonstrated experience employed as a technician, field assistant, researcher, or related position where data collection was a part of the job.
Preferred Qualifications:
Prior experience handling raptors.
Experience with radio telemetry, or related electronic wildlife tracking.
Experience navigating unfamiliar areas using GPS, compass, and/or topographic maps, both in a vehicle and on foot while off trail.
Demonstrated experience hiking multiple miles, while carrying a heavy pack in occasionally steep terrain.
Experience working in remote areas.
