NEON Field Ecologist I - Limnology - PR

Job Summary

We are currently seeking Field Ecologist I – Limnology. This position is an onsite role located in Guánica, Puerto Rico. NEON sites in the Atlantic Neotropical Domain are managed from our Guánica, PR office.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The work involves walking, hiking, prolonged standing, bending, and kneeling. Heavy items, equipment and packs up to 40 pounds, must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Field work includes exposure to extreme high temperatures, inclement weather, rough and variable terrain, toxic plants, stinging and biting insects, and wildlife hazards. Instrument maintenance involves performing work on instrument towers ranging in height from 24 feet to 100 feet, which includes ascending and descending multiple flights of stairs. Driving off-road in 4WD vehicles is required for most field sites.

Work Schedule and Travel

Work schedules are typically 8-10 hours per day but can occasionally be 12+ hours per day, including split shifts, starting before dawn and/or ending after dusk, and weekends depending on the work assignment. The ratio of field to lab work is about 75% field and 25% office and lab duties. Occasional travel (e.g., 1-2 times per year) to other Domain locations may be required as needed.

Responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, supervise and perform stream channel morphology, aquatic organism abundance and diversity, biogeochemistry, seasonal climatic and hydrologic changes, and riparian phenology data collection following established, standardized field, lab, and shipping procedures.
• Operate and maintain in-situ water quality sensors.
• Monitor sensor health and status through various computer interface tools (i.e., PuTTY, specific sensor software, SAS, or other visual analytic tools).
• Record data accurately and completely; perform data Q/C checks and resolve errors in collaboration with staff scientists.
• Provide training, instruction, and technical guidance to seasonal field personnel.
• Perform additional field and lab procedures as assigned, which may include plant phenology, diversity, productivity, and biogeochemistry; abundance, diversity, and phenology of organisms including small mammals, ticks, mosquitoes, ground beetles, and soil microbes; operations and maintenance of in-situ meteorological sensors, soil sensors, data loggers, IRGAs and other gas analyzers used to measure CO2, and energy flux.
• Ensure work hazards are identified and mitigated and support a culture of safety.
• Follow all permitting requirements and assist with permit reporting and renewals.

Key Qualifications

Associates degree in ecology, forestry, environmental sciences, or related scientific discipline AND One (1) year of related experience OR Two (2) or more years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, or a related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience or four (4) years, which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed above, may be substituted for the above education and experience requirements.
• Previous NEON experience.