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Todd Lab Herpetolgy and Wildlife Conservation

Current opportunities

Junior Specialist (field technician)

Mojave Desert Tortoise research position

Update September 2022: I am not currently seeking to fill any positions in my lab. I am leaving the most recent position viewable below to give you a sense of the kind of work and needs we often have when seeking candidates for research positions in my lab.

Details on the last position hired January 2022: I am seeking candidates to fill one position beginning Winter 2021/2022 (start flexible but earlier is better) to live in residence and work at a field station in the Mojave National Preserve as part of a larger team studying head-starting and recovery of the Mojave Desert Tortoise. The position is funded for one year, but may be extended pending performance and funding. Candidates must have an interest in committing to the first year. Candidates must work well both in a team setting and when executing research with remote supervision. Primary job duties include husbandry of captive desert tortoises and tracking of tortoises via VHF radio-telemetry in the Mojave National Preserve, approximately 60 miles outside of Las Vegas, NV. Additional duties include data entry and checking, scanning, and saving data sheets, and coordinating with multiple faculty and researchers involved in the project. Evidence in the form of references who can vouch for good communication and team skills are highly desired. For questions about living conditions and the project and other personnel, please feel free to contact a current staff member in residence by email, Gabby Barnas.

Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, or related discipline and some familiarity with wildlife techniques like VHF radio-telemetry. At this time, we are not able to fund candidates with a MSc. Previous experience with reptiles or with the desert tortoise are preferred, but may not be necessary; you will receive training and must be added to our permits after supervised experience regardless. UC Davis offers a generous benefits package; salary starts at $45,000 annually. Please see more information and apply here: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04556. I am not currently searching for new applicants but the link will remain active. I encourage any interested applicants to wait until a new opportunity is advertised here before applying via the link here.

Both my lab and the lab of Dr. Tracey Tuberville, with whom this project is run, prioritize inclusion, equity, and respectful treatment of others. All candidates are expected to adhere to the UC Davis Principles of Community and promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive community both in the research team and in broader society.