Research Technician

Inside Higher Ed; Athens (GA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading education institution seeks a full-time Research Technician in Athens, Georgia. The role entails providing critical field support for a project focusing on spotted turtles. Key responsibilities include radio-tracking, marking, and processing turtles, along with monitoring aquatic trapping. Ideal candidates will possess field experience with turtles and strong communication skills. The position requires working outdoors under diverse conditions and offers a competitive salary from $35,000 to $45,000.

Qualifications

• Field experience with aquatic turtles, including trapping and marking.
• Demonstrated experience in scientific communication is preferred.
• Driving to field sites and working outdoors in varied conditions.

Responsibilities

• Radio-track aquatic turtles and monitor aquatic traps.
• Process turtles, including blood samples and environmental samples.
• Enter and manage tracking data in Excel.

Skills

Field experience with turtles, preferably aquatic turtles

Strong communication skills

Scientific communication experience

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

R

ArcGIS

QGIS

Job description

About The University Of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

Posting Number

S14229P

Working Title

Research Technician

Department

VPR-Savannah River Ecology Lab

Posting Type

External

Retirement Plan

TRS

Employment Type

Employee

Benefits Eligibility

Benefits Eligible

Full/Part Time

Full Time

Additional Schedule Information

Monday through Friday, 8:00-5:00

Advertised Salary

$35,000-$45,000

Posting Date

10/07/2025

Open Until Filled

Yes

Proposed Starting Date

02/01/2026

Location of Vacancy

Augusta Area

Classification Title

Research Tech-Life Science I

FLSA

Non-Exempt

FTE

1.00

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent

Position Summary

The field technician will provide critical field support for a recently funded project focused on spotted turtles. Field activities include aquatic trapping, handling and marking of turtles, blood collection and sample processing, and radio-telemetry.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities And/or Competencies

• Field experience with turtles, preferably aquatic turtles – including aquatic trapping (hoop nets, promar and/or fyke nets), marking, VHF radiotelemetry, and blood collection.
• Experience with home range and movement analysis is a bonus (preferably in R but within GIS programs such as ArcGIS or QGIS also acceptable).
• Strong communication skills and demonstrate timely completion of deliverables.
• Demonstrated experience and interest in scientific communication, especially writing, is strongly preferred

Physical Demands

• Driving for several hours to reach sites in the mid-Atlantic region.
• Working outdoors under diverse, sometimes extreme field conditions.
• Ability to work in field for long days under challenging conditions (e.g., traversing wetlands in waders under hot, humid conditions)

Duties/Responsibilities

• Radio-track aquatic turtles at two sites located approximately 1 hour apart, and up to 30 animals at each site.
• Deploy and monitor aquatic traps at several wetlands at the same two sites where conducting radio-telemetry. Technician will process turtles of target species, including marking via shell notching, measuring and collecting blood samples, which will be processed in the field. Technician may also be required to periodically collect environmental samples (soil, water) for contaminant analysis.
• Technician will take primary responsibility in entering radio-tracking data s/he collects into Excel, managing GPS waypoints, and archiving data and datasheets. Data must be entered in a timely manner to allow comparison with data collected by other project personnel at other project locations and to meet grant deliverables.
• Technician must coordinate field activities and access requirements with natural resource personnel at study sites. Technician is also expected to provide regular (e.g., at least weekly) communication with supervisor and as needed to respond to unexpected events or conditions (e.g., site access, equipment failure, etc). Technician will also provide data summaries and draft text for reports, publications and/or presentations.
• Is driving a responsibility of this position? Yes
• Is this a Position of Trust? Yes
• Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No
• Does this position require a P-Card? No
• Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No
• Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No
• Does This Position Have Security Access (e.g., Public Safety, IT Security, Personnel Records, Patient Records, Or Access To Chemicals And Medications)? Yes

Contact Details

Recruitment Contact Name: Tracey Tuberville

Recruitment Contact Email: [e-mail]

EEO Policy Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([e-mail]).