I am looking for one highly motivated volunteer field assistant to work for 4-5 weeks at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. The volunteer will join a team of three already at the field station and help us finish data collection. The job consists of sampling reptiles and amphibians that live in the leaf litter using standard methods, processing litter and soil samples to bring back to the U.S., and some data entry. The volunteer will be expected to work every day 8-10 hours per day for 4-5 weeks in the field or lab, but the short term position gives the opportunity to stay in Costa Rica after the project ends to travel (tourist visas for U.S. citizens are 90 days).
This is an entirely volunteer position, and the successful applicant must commit to working for the entire time. The field assistant will be responsible for their own transportation costs to the field station (including airfare) and their station fees (around $450; includes one meal/day, office space, and access to the forest). Free housing and a small but adequate weekly stipend will be provided to offset living costs.
The work will be physically demanding but the volunteer can expect to get a lot out of the experience. The volunteer will learn a lot about conducting ecological research in the tropics, meet many people doing diverse and interesting science including potential grad school advisors, and become familiar with a diverse Neotropical herpetofauna.
Start date: Between August 5, 2010 and August 9, 2010
End date: September 9, 2010
Required qualifications:
Previous field experience
High level of physical fitness
Significant progress towards a degree in biology
Ability to work in very high heat/humidity and tolerate biting and stinging insects and parasites
Ability to work alone and in a small group
Patience and sense of humor
Available for the entire period
For more info, contact:
For more information or to apply, send an email to kreid006 (at) fiu.edu with "Volunteer Field Assistant" in the subject line. If applying for the position, please include a letter explaining why you’re interested in the position and your qualifications, a CV (2 pages), and the names and contact information for three academic or professional references. Including a reference from at least one previous field position is preferred. Applications will be reviewed immediately and the position will be filled as soon as possible.