RESEARCH ASSISTANTS needed for nest studies of Maui Parrotbill

... an endangered forest honeycreeper, on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. Four
positions available for a period of 20 weeks, Jan to May 2008. Maui
Parrotbill are rare, little known and nests are extremely difficult to
find. This is a field-based research position but assistants will be
responsible for both field and office duties. Primary field duties will
be: (1) locating and monitoring Maui Parrotbill nests to determine nest
success and causes of failure; (2) collecting field data on nest sites
and reproductive behavior and re-sighting banded individuals; (3)
collecting field data from other Hawaiian honeycreepers. Field duties
may also include; (4) maintaining alien predator control grids of
rodenticide bait stations and mechanical traps; (5) assisting egg or
bird harvesting from selected nests for the captive-propagation program;
(6) mist-netting and banding Maui Parrotbill and other forest birds; (7)
assisting set up and maintenance of nest monitoring cameras; (8)
assisting staff with other ongoing projects. Office duties include, but
are not limited to office, vehicle and grounds maintenance, data entry,
report writing, administrative clerical work, and preparation and
maintenance of field equipment. Field duties are extremely physically
challenging. Remote research sites require 9-12 hour hike across
Haleakala crater at 5,000-9,000 ft elevation, living and working in
small teams in extremely wet (annual rainfall up to 400 inches), cold,
muddy and steep rainforest conditions at high elevations. Helicopters
will be used to re-supply field camps. Basic aviation safety training is
available. Work schedule will include 10-day field trips with
alternating days in the office and re-supplying. Preference will be
given to applicants with experience of passerine research, nest location
and nest studies. Assistants must be able to work and live in small
teams in remote field camps in extremely physically demanding
conditions, to work independently and responsibly, have a good work
ethic, take personal initiative and must have a valid drivers license.
Desirable qualifications include a B.S. in ecology, biology,
ornithology, botany or similar field; research with endangered birds;
mist-netting and banding; small mammal trapping; GIS skills; work with
nest cameras; First Aid qualification. Benefits include: $1280 a month,
housing and most field equipment, limited transportation on Maui and an
opportunity to work in pristine native rainforest and gain field
experience in avian conservation with a highly endangered species and
ecosystem management. Applicants must provide their own airfare to
Kahului, Maui. To apply send a letter of interest, resume, 3 references
(with phone numbers and addresses) by 10 Oct 2007 to: HANNA MOUNCE, Maui
Forest Bird Recovery Project, 2465 Olinda Rd. Makawao, HI 96768 or email
(EM: mounce AT hawaii.edu) with “MAPA job 2008” in the subject heading.
For additional information visit our website at
http://www.mauiforestbird.org.