Natural Resources Job Board

We are seeking multiple white-tailed deer capture technicians and one lead technician. These positions will be responsible for capturing, collaring, and sampling white-tailed deer via drop nets, clover traps, and dart gun. This project is operating though the Center for Wildlife Sustainability Research (formerly Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab) at SIU in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and USDA’s National Wildlife Research Center. The SIU deer project aims to investigate deer movement to improve understanding of disease transmission, evaluate the impacts of non-consumptive recreation on deer behavior, and estimate deer density via multiple approaches. Research technicians will be the primary university staff conducting field work and will work directly with SIU graduate students. In addition to capture and handling of deer, other duties include: 

Multiple sites in Illinois. Primary capture locations will be in Peoria and Pope counties, with housing provided at each site. 

Base pay starting at $16.00/hour but commensurate with experience. Crew lead starting at $18.00/hour. Maximum 37.5 hours/week

Optional time off around the last week of December will be granted

Employment will last until March 31, 2026.

Required Qualifications: 
 Applicants should have academic training in wildlife or related field. Must be willing to work long hours in the field, performing physically strenuous tasks outdoors in adverse weather conditions, including extreme cold at times (trapping equipment weighing >50lbs needs to be moved regularly, and adult deer must be physically restrained before anesthesia is administered). Must have prior experience in off-road driving 4-wheel drive vehicles. Required qualifications also include an enthusiasm for outdoor work with wildlife, getting along with your crewmates, reading maps and navigating independently (sometimes without cellular service), demonstrate organizational and communication skills, attention to detail, ability to follow study protocols, and carefully record data. Driver’s license required.
 
 Preferred Qualifications: 
 Highly qualified applicants will have prior experience in large mammal and/or adult deer captures, radio telemetry, chemical immobilization, mortality investigations, and camera trapping.

Lead technician applicants should meet most preferred qualifications, plus have experience in a leadership role and have exceptional communication skills for interactions with the public, partnering agencies, and with SIU staff. Must be able to create a work schedule and delegate tasks. 

To apply, please email a cover letter, CV, and three references in a single PDF document title “YourLastName_deertech_2026.pdf”, or “YourLastName_deertech_2026_lead.pdf” if interested in the lead position (e.g., Kishimoto_deertech_2026_lead.pdf) to Tadao Kishimoto at tadao.kishimoto@siu.edu with the email subject line “YourLastName_deertech_2026”. In the body of the email, please state your position preference. One or two additional technicians may be hired to start in mid to late January, so please indicate your availability.