The Wetlands Institute, located in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, is seeking qualified applicants for a seasonal Research Assistant position to assist with long-term study of diamondback terrapins and Eastern box turtles. Primary responsibilities include assisting with mark-recapture surveys, conducting surveys of nesting areas and roadways, maintaining road mitigation fencing, and assisting with telemetry studies.

This is a temporary, hourly position (approx. 40 hrs/week) that will include regular early morning, weekend, and holiday hours. The regular responsibilities of this position will require frequent work in adverse field conditions (heat, humidity, exposure to thorns, poison ivy, ticks and other biting insects) for sometimes long periods; handling live, injured, and dead turtles; conducting necropsies; assisting with animal husbandry; and participating in community-based outreach programs.  The Research Assistant will be responsible for recording detailed observations and data in the field, data entry and management, maintenance of equipment, as well as assisting with other surveys and tasks as assigned. The position will require walking long distances in dense vegetation, wading in marsh creeks, carrying equipment (<30 lbs), boat travel, and the use of hand tools such as mallets and shovels. Training will be provided.

Applicants should have previous experience following protocols and collecting detailed data, and must be able to work outdoors in field conditions as described. Preferred applicants will have experience with working with turtles, and the use of mark-recapture techniques such as shell notching or PIT tagging.  Experience with data entry and mapping/GIS is required. Applicants should be able to work effectively alone and in small groups with staff, interns, and volunteers.  

The position is approximately 14 weeks, May – August. While there is some flexibility regarding start date, the successful candidate should be available to start sometime within the first two weeks of May and available until early August. Candidates should be available for the duration of the position. Salary is dependent on experience. Housing is not provided, and Research Assistants must live within daily commuting distance. A valid driver’s license and personal transportation is required. Reimbursement for most project-related travel will be provided. The final candidate will be subject to a background check.

The Wetlands Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.