Faculty Research Assistant: Fish & Wildlife

Oregon State University; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Oregon State University in Corvallis seeks a Faculty Research Assistant to support ARU-based avian research across the Pacific Northwest. The role combines field leadership with data analysis, including quality control of acoustic data and validation against expert IDs.

Applicants should have a bachelor's in Wildlife Ecology or related field, plus experience with R/Python, Bayesian occupancy modeling, and BirdNet/PNW-Cnet workflows. Travel and camping may be required.

Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology or related field.
• Ability to identify Pacific Northwest birds by sight and sound.
• Experience coordinating and leading fieldwork.
• Experience with remote fieldwork, solo and in teams.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines and manage workloads.
• Proficiency in R and Python.
• Experience developing Bayesian occupancy models.
• Experience processing audio data with BirdNet, PNW-Cnet, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead field crews for avian surveys and data collection.
• Validate detections against expert identification and maintain data quality.
• Analyze ARU and distribution data using R and Python; develop scripts for data management.
• Contribute to statistical models predicting detection and occupancy.
• Summarize results and co-author manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications.
• Perform field data collection in remote locations, including travel and camping as needed.
• Develop field protocols and monitor data quality across projects.

Skills

Bird identification by vocalization

Field coordination

Data management

R

Python

Statistical modeling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology or related field

Tools

BirdNet

PNW-Cnet

R

Python

Job description

Department

Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences

Job Summary

The Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Faculty Research Assistant position. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Department Head.

The Faculty Research Assistant supports research on Pacific Northwest avian species monitored via autonomous recording units (ARUs) across managed landscapes in the region, working closely with the Pacific Northwest Research Station wildlife team on avian data collection, validation, and modeling. Duties include coordinating and leading field crews; collecting, organizing, and quality-controlling acoustic and field data; identifying PNW bird species by sight and sound, including discrimination of overlapping vocalizations in ARU spectrograms; validating automated detections against expert identification; and contributing to statistical models of species detection probability and occupancy. The role also summarizes and interprets results for reporting. This position supports multiple research projects and requires someone able to work independently, prioritize competing tasks, and carry out both field and analytical duties with minimal supervision. Strong candidates bring prior ARU/bioacoustic experience, expert PNW bird ID skills by sound, and proficiency in R or Python.

College of Agricultural Sciences faculty are committed to enhancing student success by engaging students in quality academic, research, internships, global studies, and other experiential learning opportunities. Positions with primary responsibility for Extension and outreach are likewise committed to learner success through programming appropriate for diverse audiences. There is an expectation that, as part of your role in the college, you embody and advance the principles and practices conveyed in the CAS CARE Commitment document.

FWCS is an academic unit that reports to the College of Agricultural Sciences. The Department is composed of approximately 300 staff, including academic faculty, research assistants, classified staff, graduate students, and temporary staff. Over $8 million of externally funded grants and contracts are received each year in support of science focused on basic ecological research, conservation, and sustainable use of fish and wildlife and their habitats. The Department is the largest in the College of Agricultural Sciences, with over 1000 students in 8 degree and certificate programs, including one Bachelor of Science degree, five graduate degrees, and two graduate certificates.

Key Responsibilities

• Validate species detections generated by BirdNET and PNW-Cnet against expert visual and auditory identification
• Manage a large relational database of avian survey data, call validations, and audio files
• Analyze ARU and avian distribution data using R, including script development for data management and modeling
• Contribute to development of statistical models predicting species detection and occupancy
• Write reports and co-author manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication
• Collect field data independently in remote locations, with travel and backcountry camping as needed
• Develop field protocols, monitor data quality, and summarize fieldwork outcomes

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology or related field.
• Must be able to identify birds in the Pacific Northwest visually and based on vocalizations.
• Experience in coordinating and leading fieldwork efforts.
• Experience with remote fieldwork both alone and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent and collaborative research.
• Demonstrated ability to independently meet deadlines and manage workloads.
• Must be able to code in program R and Python.
• Must have experience developing Bayesian occupancy models.
• Must have experience processing audio data using BirdNet, PNW-Cnet, or some other convolutional neural network.
• Understand how wildlife monitoring informs forest management in the Pacific Northwest.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Wildlife Science or related field.
• Experience analyzing data in R, Excel, and ArcGIS.
• Experience working with large multidisciplinary research teams.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Experience contributing to scientific publications.

Working Conditions/Schedule

Work will be done in office or fieldwork settings. Fieldwork will take place in the Pacific Northwest and may require travel up to 8 days with overnight travel, with workdays up to 12 hours. Fieldwork can be remote and may require camping on public land in remote field locations and be physically demanding. Fieldwork may require extensive hiking (up to 10 miles) while carrying a pack (up to 40 lbs). Office work will be done in Corvallis, Oregon or other Forest Service work stations.

Salary Range

Starting salary to commensurate with education, training and skills.

Anticipated Start Date

2026-09-14

Anticipated End Date

2027-06-30

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at [e-mail].