Start and End Dates: March 30, 2026, to October 30, 2026, with the possibility of an extension through December 2026–contingent on project needs and funding. 

Reports to: PhD student at the University of Maine, Wildlife, Fisheries & Conservation Biology Department, with additional supervision from National Park Staff and Schoodic Institute science staff. 

FLSA Status: Seasonal, Full-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt

Compensation: $21.76/hour (equivalent to a GS-06), based on a 40-hour work week.  Partial benefits include Paid Time Off (PTO) and access to professional development opportunities.

Work Location: Acadia National Park Headquarters, Mount Desert Island, ME

Application Closes: March 4, 2026

Position Summary: 

This opportunity is well-suited to biological technicians with some professional field work experience who are interested in highly independent work, amphibian conservation and road ecology, and working closely with a group of volunteers over several field seasons (spring, summer, fall). The data collected on this project will support Acadia National Park’s efforts to reduce amphibian road mortality. Field work collection and analysis will be overseen by a graduate student at the University of Maine. 

The technician can expect to work a highly flexible schedule that varies with weather, projects, and roles. See the breakdown below to understand how the technician’s time will be spent. Note that the list is not exhaustive and additional projects or tasks may be added as needed, depending on the funding we receive.

• 25% of time will be spent on volunteer recruitment, training, and management. The technician will be responsible for planning and conducting training, helping volunteers sign up for shifts and for encouraging and supporting volunteers through frequent communication. 
• 35% of time will be spent on conducting amphibian road crossing surveys. The majority of these surveys involve walking transects on roads in the park. Two or three surveys will involve driving all paved roads in the park as part of a three-person team. Because of the nature of amphibian movements, work occurs in the dark and in the rain. In the spring, temperatures during outdoor field work may drop below 40 degrees F. 
• 20% of time will be spent assisting Schoodic Institute field staff on a variety of natural resource-related field work. 
• 10% of time will be spent on additional field work in support of amphibian conservation research at the University of Maine. This may include breeding wetland surveys, calling amphibian surveys, eDNA collection, data management of citizen science datasets, and deployment of amphibian camera traps. 
• 10% of time will be spent on additional outreach and interpretation, with opportunities to develop science communication projects in a variety of formats, as desired by the technician. 

Daily and weekly schedules will vary based on project needs. Night work will be required, with most work concluding by midnight, with the possibility of working until 3 am on 2-3 nights over the course of the appointment. Days may be split between some office work during the day followed by evening work after sunset. Longer days will be balanced by shorter workdays within the same week. Some weekend work is expected.

Responsibilities: 

• Field assignments to include:
• Following established, standardized field procedures
• Collecting data about amphibian species and age class; this includes identifying and moving dead (roadkill) amphibians
• Using a Survey123 data-collection app
• Navigating safely on roads at night, both driving and walking
• Additional daytime field work in support of amphibian conservation projects
• Train and lead adult volunteers by:
• Recruiting local volunteers through email, listservs, public presentations, and word of mouth
• Planning seasonal training workshops for new and returning volunteers, using an established protocol
• Managing volunteers throughout the week by providing updates and encouragement 
• Follow safety and field operations policy and procedures
• Work in the field with minimal supervision
• Work in a variety of conditions (e.g., weather, terrain, diverse–potentially buggy–habitats)
• Applicants must possess a valid driver's license and have their own transportation; use of NPS/University of Maine field vehicles to complete night work may be available

Preferred Education, Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field of science
• Experience conducting ecology-related lab or field work, especially with those who have worked with amphibians
• Experience working with volunteers on field sampling, monitoring activities, or science communication
• Comfort and a willingness to work in adverse weather conditions at night
• Ability to communicate effectively with the general public in formal and informal settings

Qualified applicants should be detailed-oriented, enthusiastic researchers who thrive in small teams and are comfortable with the realities of roadside fieldwork. Including  identifying cryptic wildlife, handling deceased amphibians and working in high-traffic or un-glamourous settings, while simultaneously managing your own field logistics and schedule.  Because the supervisor is off-site, the technician will maintain consistent communications on their progress and accomplishments.

Location: 

The Field Technician’s primary work location is on Mount Desert Island, Maine, with occasional field work on the Schoodic Peninsula. Field work will occur throughout Acadia National Park, within a 30 to 60-minute drive of Bar Harbor. Shared office space will be provided at Acadia National Park Headquarters in Bar Harbor. 

Housing: 

Housing may be available on Mount Desert Island. 

About Schoodic Institute: 

Established in 2004, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and Acadia National Park’s primary partner in science and education. Based at the largest of 18 National Park Service Research Learning Centers in Winter Harbor, Maine, in Wabanaki homeland, Schoodic Institute’s focus is understanding environmental change taking place in Acadia and beyond, and helping managers of parks, other protected areas, and natural resources respond and adapt to change while engaging people of all ages in science. Schoodic Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.