Seasonal Shorebird (Women in Conservation) Technician

About the position Audubon’s Women in Conservation program provides career opportunities for young women in the environmental field. Each spring and summer, we offer seasonal positions to advance our conservation work and further develop conservationists’ skills and knowledge in the field of wildlife conservation. These positions provide an array of different professional experiences in conservation, including: Field research Habitat stewardship Education and outreach Communication We are currently hiring one Seasonal Shorebird (Women in Conservation) Technician to work with our New York Coast Program on Long Island, NY for the 2026 field season (April/May – August ). The WIC Technician will work closely with other Audubon staff to reduce threats to priority coastal birds like the Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, and Least Tern. The position will focus on conducting beach-nesting bird productivity surveys, stewarding nesting areas, surveying migrating shorebirds, and assisting with setting up field cameras. Audubon New York's seasonal field technicians gain hands-on beach-nesting bird monitoring, coastal stewardship, project coordination, and outreach experience. The candidate chosen for the position will be expected to work 5 days per week (usually 35 hours). Some weekend and holiday work will be required. The technician will be required to use their personal vehicle to access field sites that are located across Long Island. Travel to field sites will be reimbursed. Applicants will be accepted until the position is filled. The technician will be required to use reliable transportation to access field sites that are located across Long Island. Travel will be reimbursed. This role is a field position working remotely at various sites along the North and South Shore of Long Island of New York. It is based out of Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Oyster Bay, Long Island.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Coast Program Manager in monitoring and protecting Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers.
• Participate in nest searching and monitoring of nesting shorebirds.
• Use binoculars and/or a spotting scope to locate, identify, and count Piping Plovers, Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, and migratory shorebirds.
• Set up and maintain protective fencing and signs at nesting areas and assist in erecting predator exclosures at Piping Plover nests.
• Record and enter data into Excel and monitoring software database.
• Talk to beachgoers about beach-nesting birds.
• Assist the Coast Program Manager and other staff in beach-nesting bird outreach activities.
• Assist in field camera deployment and maintenance.
• Work with the Communication team to create conservation stories for social media.
• Work with and shadow Education and Center staff on how to learn about conservation programs across Long Island

Requirements

• Persons working to or currently have a degree in Biology, Ecology, Conservation, Natural sciences, or related field preferred, or multiple years of experience carrying out similar field work.
• This is the Seasonal Shorebird (Women in Conservation) Technician role.
• Strong communication skills and an interest in engaging and communicating with a diverse public audience.
• A strong work ethic with comfort working independently.
• Willingness to work outdoors for long periods of time in adverse conditions (i.e., hot, humid)
• Ability to traverse long distances (up to 7 miles), transport and carry heavy equipment (tents, tables, post pounders, fence posts), and drive to beaches in eastern and western Long Island, NY
• Willingness to work on busy beach days, holiday weekends, and some evenings.
• Prior shorebird and/or field experience is not required, but need a willingness to learn about beach-nesting bird biology and conservation
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and have access to reliable transportation.

Nice-to-haves

• Ability to speak Spanish and/or other languages is preferred but not required.

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