Seasonal Project Assistants “Mouse-Mast Project”

Cary Institute Of Ecosystem Studies; Millbrook (AL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site housing available

Job summary

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York's Hudson River Valley seeks a field ecology assistant. This is a full-time or part-time hourly, non-exempt position with wage starts at $20/hour.

Responsibilities include tick sampling, wildlife camera deployment and image processing, tree seed collection, soil core enclosures, and GIS data work. The role involves daily hiking and early mornings; on-site housing is available.

Qualifications

• Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology is required.
• Prior experience with GIS is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Duties include sampling abundance of ticks, wildlife camera deployment and image processing, tree seed collection, creating soil core enclosures for measuring tick survival within eastern deciduous forest plots, and general data and GIS work.

Skills

Field ecology

Attention to detail

Wildlife sampling

Tools

GIS

Job description

This position is full time (35 hours/week) or part time (12+ hours/week). This is an hourly, non-exempt, non-benefited position. Wage starts at $20/hour and is commensurate with education and experience.

Summary

Research the dynamics of mammalian communities and the relationships between mammals, ticks, oak trees, and Lyme disease. Position reports to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld and Dr. Shannon LaDeau.

Job Description

Duties include sampling abundance of ticks, wildlife camera deployment and image processing, tree seed collection, creating soil core enclosures for measuring tick survival within eastern deciduous forest plots, and general data and GIS work.

Qualifications

Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology is required. Prior experience with GIS is preferred.

Conditions

Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York's Hudson River Valley, and nearby urban parks. This is primarily a field position with a lot of daily hiking. Early morning, late afternoon. Employment can begin Sept 28, with an end date of approximately mid-November 2026 or February 2027.

On-site housing is available.

Closing Date

Position is open until filled. Review of applications will begin on Sept 22, 2026.

The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Cary Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, familial status, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is an independent environmental research organization dedicated to understanding ecosystems and addressing key environmental challenges. With a focus on freshwater, forests, disease, and cities, our scientists are global experts in ecology and tackle issues such as climate change, biodiversity change and human impacts on land and water.
At the Cary Institute, we prioritize sharing our science to enhance ecological literacy and foster informed decision-making.