Natural Resources Job Board

Short-Term Winter Hair Snare Field Technician (2) - Michigan
Agencies: Utah State University, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI DNR)
Location: Baldwin Bear Management Unit, Michigan
Compensation: $17/hr, field housing may be provided
Work Schedule: Variable hours averaging 40 hours/week
Start date: December 10, 2025
End date: December 22, 2025
Last date to apply: 11/1/2025
Description
The Young lab at Utah State University is seeking 2 short-term hair snare field technicians to assist with the Baldwin Bear Project. The Baldwin Bear Project is a collaborative research project with the Michigan DNR, looking at the socioecological systems of black bears. The technicians will assist a master’s student, in her study determining the density of black bears and analyzing their movements in the Baldwin Bear Management Unit of the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This study area includes most of the landscape between Grand Rapids and Traverse City. The technicians are expected to start on 10 December and work until 22 December 2025.
Technicians will assist with checking, flagging, and repairing ~ 65 barbed-wire hair snares. The technicians must follow specific protocols when repairing the hair snares. Technicians will also help locate and confirm bear dens based on GPS locations of collared bears. Applicants should expect some long days while repairing hair snares and looking for dens and be able to carry ~40 pounds of barbed wire and other gear into relatively thick brush and swampy bottomlands. Days can be long and weather will be variable.
This area of Michigan has mild topography, and applicants should be able to traverse through it while carrying a heavy pack through the snow, potentially with snowshoes. Technicians MUST be comfortable performing solo fieldwork in adverse conditions (such as cold, challenging terrain, and remote locations with little or no cell service), driving 4x4 trucks, and problem-solving independently to ensure that fieldwork is completed safely and efficiently. Technicians must be aware of their surroundings and be confident hiking alone where carnivores and other wildlife species are present.
Field housing will be provided in the form of a shared house. Applicants are encouraged to bring field clothes, boots, and other gear needed to work in the winter cold. Work vehicle(s) will be provided for fieldwork and essential travel and will be shared between technicians. Crew members will be expected to use a personal vehicle for recreation and personal errands/travel during their time off.
Minimum Qualifications
· Have or working towards a degree in wildlife ecology/management, biology, natural resources, or a similar field OR be able to demonstrate equivalent experience.
· Must be independent, hardworking, and in good physical condition (able to hike several miles per day off-trail with a weighted pack).
· Must be willing to work alone in inclement weather without cell service, communicating via radios and satellite communication devices.
· Must be able to navigate on and off-trail using topographic maps and a hand-held GPS or OnX.
· Must have good communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with hunters, MI DNR biologists and staff, landowners, recreators, other technicians and volunteers, and the supervising graduate student.
· Must be detail-oriented, organized, and have data management skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to follow directions including strict field protocols.
· Must possess a valid driver’s license and have a clean driving record.
· Patience, adaptability, stamina (mental and physical), respect for others, professional behavior, and a positive team-player attitude are important.
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience working and/or living with people or groups from differing backgrounds.
· Experience safely operating 4WD trucks on snow, sand, and gravel roads and hiking on and off-trail through rugged terrain in remote locations.
· Prior experience using/setting up/repairing hair snares.
· Experience working alone in remote locations.
· Certifications in wilderness medical care (Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder).
Utah State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and, in its programs and activities, including employment, does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.
To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references as a single PDF to Sara Fischer at Sara.Fischer@usu.edu with “Last Name – Winter Field Technician 2025” in the subject line. Please label your file as “LastNameFirstName_WinterFieldTechnician_2025.pdf”. Qualified applicants should thoroughly address their pertinent experience, enthusiasm, and ability to work and hike independently in Midwest winter and thick brush. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted but will be accepted through November 10, 2025.