Faculty Research Assistant: Fish & Wildlife

OSU Rec Sports - Sport. Leadership. Wellness.; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Oregon State University seeks a Faculty Research Assistant in Fish & Wildlife to lead ARU-based avian research across the Pacific Northwest, coordinating field crews and analyzing acoustic data. You will identify bird species by sight and sound, validate detections, and contribute to occupancy models while writing reports for peer-reviewed publications.

Qualifications include a bachelor's in wildlife ecology, strong coding in R/Python, and experience with Bayesian models and BirdNet/PNW-Cnet.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Validate species detections generated by BirdNET and PNW-Cnet against expert identification.
• Manage a large relational database of avian survey data, calls, and audio files.
• Analyze ARU and avian distribution data using R; develop data scripts.
• Contribute to 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.
• Develop field protocols, monitor data quality, summarize outcomes.

Skills

Bird ID by sight and sound

ARU/bioacoustic experience

R

Python

Bayesian occupancy models

Field leadership

Data management

Education

Bachelor's in Wildlife Ecology or related

Master’s preferred

Tools

BirdNet

PNW-Cnet

R

Python

ArcGIS

Excel

Job description

Faculty Research Assistant: Fish & Wildlife

Aug 21, 2026

Department:

Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

• A resume/CV with complete academic and research history, and
• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

Transcripts

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For additional information please contact:

The Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE),12-month,fixed-term Faculty Research Assistantposition.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

Qualifications:

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] .

O