Our research group is looking for driven and energetic students and researchers interested in working with tropical birds in Manu National Park, Peru. Our project will take place between August and mid-December of 2013 at sites along an elevational gradient from 400 – 3400m (lowland jungle to montane treeline). Within this gradient, we work at several permanent field stations (Pantiacolla – 400m, San Pedro – 1400m, Wayqecha – 2900m) and along more remote transects elsewhere in the region. We have a number of volunteer positions available.
Primary activities in this work include nest searching and monitoring as well as mist-netting and banding, collection of samples from captured birds, vegetation plots, field recordings, metabolic measurements, and playback experiments. We work six days a week at each field station from approximately 6am to 6pm, with occasional data entry and organization in the evenings. Mist-netting teams are expected to hike to and work in more remote areas for up to two weeks at a time. Field conditions are variable, depending on the field station to which assistants are assigned. Please visit our webpage (link below) for specific details on each station. In all cases, communication is limited at best, and assistants can expect to be out of touch for 2-3 weeks at a time. We camp in tents for the entirety of the season and cook for ourselves (rice, pasta, legumes, cassava, plantain, and fresh-ish vegetables). At field stations, generator power is available on a nightly basis. Applicants should be in good physical condition, must be able to work well in a group setting, and should be willing to work long hours under difficult conditions (heat, rain, cold, high humidity and lots of biting and stinging insects). Please read comments from previous field assistants at our project website (http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~jankowsk/Manu_Assistants.html).
Applicants with nest searching, and mist-netting experiences will be desirable. In this position, we cover station fees, food and transportation to and from the field sites for all assistants. Salaries and airfare to Cusco are not provided. This work is most appropriate for those pursuing a career in ecology or behavior and who have previous field experience working in remote locations. There are often opportunities for students to develop thesis projects, and such students are strongly encouraged to apply. Please keep in mind that these are competitive positions and we receive many applicants each year. We will accept applications for field assistant positions until May 25.
To apply, please send a completed application form (available on our website) and your CV to manubirdproject@gmail.com. More information on the project and information for potential assistants can be found on our project webpage: http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~jankowsk/Manu_Project.html