The Whitehead Lab at Virginia Tech is seeking a 6-month research technician to support tropical field research in Panama. The technician will be based in Panama and manage data collection activities for a project investigating how fruit chemistry influences the foraging preferences of seed-dispersing birds (palm tanagers) and bats (short-tailed fruit bats). Fieldwork will be forty hours per week and will include mist-netting for birds and bats, maintaining animals in flight cages, preparing experimental animal diets in the lab, behavioral observations, and camera-trapping in the field to obtain fruit removal rates. Data entry, data management, and regular communication with US-based team members will also be required. The technician will work closely with local field technicians in Panama and must be proficient in conversational Spanish. They will be provided field housing in Gamboa, Panama, where they will also have opportunities to attend scientific talks and meet other researchers associated with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. See more about research in the Whitehead Lab on our website (www.speciesinteractions.com).

This position is ideal for recent graduates with undergraduate or M.S. degrees in the fields of Ecology, Animal Behavior, Evolution, Conservation Biology, Wildlife Management, or a related field with some field experience. Applicants must be responsible, have attention to detail, attention to safety, good communication skills, and a strong work ethic. This is a remote field setting, with conditions of high humidity, rugged terrain, snakes, and many biting insects. Because the project involves both birds and bats, work hours will shift over the course of the project and may be either early in the morning or late in the evening. We aim for eight-hour work days and two consecutive days off per week for each team member. However, this will inevitably vary over the course of the project. The applicant must be flexible with their schedule and be prepared to prioritize the needs of live animals and maintain patience and humor during challenging field days. Applicants should be comfortable working alone and in a team. The Whitehead Lab aims to support diverse and inclusive research teams and applicants from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Field work will begin Sept. 24, 2024 and continue for 6 months. Pay will be $15/hr (~$2400/month) plus shared field housing in Gamboa and one round-trip flight to Panama.