Positions: 2 year-long (11-month) and 2 seasonal (6-month)

AMERICORPS AVIAN CONSERVATION FIELD ASSISTANTS needed for work with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project.

Program dates are: Year-long 11/4/2024 – 9/20/2025 and Seasonal 11/4/2024 – 4/19/2025.  Our project focuses on a variety of work with five endemic Hawaiian songbirds, the ‘akikiki, ‘akeke‘e, ‘i‘iwi, ‘anianiau and puaiohi that all inhabit the extremely wet, beautiful and rugged montane rainforest at located at ~4500ft on the island of Kauai. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the conservation of endangered tropical species in the U.S. while acquiring valuable research skills. Successful applicants will have the chance to participate in both fieldwork (such as mosquito control and bird research) and office tasks (including outreach and data management). Two of the positions offered will primarily work on mosquito control and monitoring. Please indicate if you have a specific area of interest (mosquito work or bird work) in your application.

Field work is physically challenging, requiring a 4-to-8-mile hike to the main field camps by way of steep slopes, tangled forest and stream crossings. Daily field conditions include hiking through dense forest in and along streams, often in rainy and chilly weather. Daily field activities include conducting surveys for endangered Hawaiian birds, point counts, mosquito sampling, vegetation and habitat sampling, maintaining a rat control grid with motion detection cameras in sensitive bird habitat, nest searching and monitoring, and mist-netting and banding birds.

Applicants must be able to detect and identify birds by sight and sound, be physically fit, and able to navigate rugged and complex terrain using GPS, compass, and maps. Experience with songbird color band re-sighting, behavioral observation, territory mapping, nest searching, point counts, camera trapping, telemetry towers and mist-netting is strongly desired. Abundant enthusiasm for conserving Hawaii’s native species (including the ability to kill a few invasive species along the way) is essential, as are self-motivation, the ability to work well in a small team, a positive attitude, and willingness to live in a remote field camps for more than a week at a time. Office duties will include environmental education and outreach, data entry and organization, supervised and independent research projects, maintenance of field equipment and other work around the office. Familiarity with GIS, Microsoft Access, Adobe Suite Software, and computer IT is also strongly desired.

Salary/Benefits/Requirements:  exact information can be found at https://www.kupuhawaii.org/conservation-leadership-development-program

Housing when not in the field IS NOT provided through the program. Applicants not from the area should note that the housing prices on Kauai are some of the highest in the country. The successful applicant must provide own travel to Lihue, Kauai and have a valid US drivers license.

Start dates beginning November 2024 or later. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the project will make recommendations to Americorps. Deadline to apply: 9/13/2024. Required materials include a current resume, cover letter, and contact information for 3 references, emailed to puaiohijobs@gmail.com. You MUST ALSO apply directly to the CLDP Year-round Americorps Program at https://kupuhawaii.tfaforms.net/318 as soon as possible.