Black-Crowned Night-Heron Research Intern, Urban Wildlife Institute

Black-crowned Night-heron (BCNH) Research Intern,
Urban Wildlife Institute
Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo, is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year.
Location: Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL
Duration: 12 weeks at 35 hours/week (April 1st - Approx. June 24th, flexible depending on distribution of work hours)
Scheduling: Full time, 35 hours/week
The Black-crowned Night-heron (BCNH), a medium bodied, migratory wading bird, is an endangered species in Illinois along with six other Great Lake States, largely due to habitat degradation. Since 2007, a population of BCNH has been breeding and flourishing in Chicago's Lincoln Park. Now regarded as the largest BCNH breeding population in Illinois, the colony is concentrated at the Lincoln Park Zoo's Pritzker Family Children's Zoo (PFCZ). Researchers at the Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute (UWI) have been monitoring this population since 2010 and, in partnership with colleagues at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (INDR), initiated a research program in 2022 to better understand the movement and health of these urban, endangered birds. As a Black-crowned Night-heron Research Intern you will gain valuable experience assisting UWI, UIUC, and IDNR researchers with the 2024 Black-crowned Night-heron field season. Your work will include...

• Conducting regular population surveys of the BCNH breeding colony
• Regularly servicing the baited walk-in enclosures used to capture herons as well as their associated trail cameras
• Assist in heron capture and handling
• Processing and organizing data
• Maintaining research equipment
• Design an independent project evaluating various public education and outreach initiatives

This position will work closely with UWI Wildlife Management Coordinator, Henry Adams, and UIUC graduate student, Sarah Slayton, to prepare and coordinate BCNH surveys and sampling as well as public education opportunities and evaluation. While on-ground night-heron work will be the primary focus of this position, there may be opportunities to assist with other UWI projects to broaden this position's education in Urban Wildlife ecology research, management, and education. These may include our Chicago Rat Project, which investigates rat distributions and diseases as it relates to public health, our various biodiversity monitoring projects (using trail cameras and acoustics to monitor local wildlife), as well tick surveys. As a part of their education work, this intern will practice creative, public communication skills and participate in relevant environmental outreach opportunities, COVID protocols allowing. These may include LPZ camp programs, university tours, or non-LPZ outreach events in which UWI may be asked to participate and will involve learners of many ages, backgrounds, and knowledge levels. As an independent project, the BCNH Research Intern will aid in the development of a brief public outreach program/tool that aims to increase public awareness of night-herons and wildlife conservation in urban areas. As a part of this project, the intern will collaborate with Adams, Slayton, and the zoo's Learning team to evaluate how the program/tool impacts public knowledge. The findings of this project are to be presented at the end of the internship and will inform future programming at the zoo. The BCNH Research Intern should be self-motivated, collaborative, and enthusiastic to work both in the field and in front of a computer. This is a 12 week paid, full-time position (35 hours per week) beginning April 1st 2024. The daily schedule for this position will vary and include evening work. Heron sampling often occurs between roughly 5PM and 10PM to accommodate bird activity. Supervisors will work with this intern to establish schedules as regularly and with as much notice as possible. Housing is not provided.
Learning objectives
The intern will learn about...

• Urban colonial nesting wading bird ecology
• Research project coordination and avifauna capture, handling, and sampling protocols
• Urban greenspace management and biodiversity
• Designing education programming and communicate various ecological principles and research results to the public
• Designing and administering qualitative surveys to evaluate the efficacy of education initiatives

Essential Job Functions

• Conducting regular population surveys of the BCNH breeding colony
• Regularly servicing the baited walk-in enclosures used to capture herons as well as their associated trail cameras
• Analyzing heron trail camera photos to assess periods of peak heron activity
• Assist in heron capture, handling, and sampling
• Assist in processing and organizing samples and data, testing and maintaining field equipment, inventorying supplies, and field work preparations
• Participate in development, administration and evaluation of various education and outreach initiatives, especially as it pertains to the independent project, COVID protocols allowing
• Serve as a credible source of information about general ecosystem functions pertaining to the Black-crowned Night-herons and other wildlife at Nature Boardwalk
• Occasional local travel in Chicago for field projects (provided transportation will depend on COVID restrictions and vehicle availability)
• Attend Lincoln Park Zoo and/or Urban Wildlife Institute-related meetings and activities as necessary

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist in managing and mentoring volunteers and junior interns when appropriate
• Assist with literature reviews related to Urban Wildlife research projects
• Write a blog post(s) related to the night-herons and other topics learned during the internship (an observation, an interesting result, new ecological information about a species, etc.)
• Participate in intern program activities such as career panels with staff and other interns at the zoo
• Performs other duties as assigned

Essential Qualifications
The applicant should...

• Demonstrate an understanding of and genuine passion for ecology and scientific research, especially as it pertains to avian conservation and urban ecology
• Possess some expertise in wildlife field research, capture, and handling techniques, preferably as they apply to avian capture and handling
• Possess strong computer, organizational, and interpersonal skills (written and spoken)
• Be willing to work outside in challenging field conditions (i.e., spring/summer temperatures and precipitation) and to work early morning or later afternoon/evening hours as necessary
• Be able to interact positively, enthusiastically, and creatively with the public about our research when appropriate
• Works well in a team environment as well as independently
• Experience with diverse backgrounds and multicultural environments
• Maintain a positive and flexible approach to daily responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications
We prefer applicants that:

• Have conducted or assisted with wildlife ecological studies, including use of remote-triggered cameras, experience in ornithology, or other fieldwork experience
• Have some familiarity with software including Microsoft Excel, program R, and ArcGIS
• Possess some knowledge of Illinois fauna

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree either in progress (expected graduation date within the next two years) or completed (graduated within the last two years), preferably in biology, ecology, natural resources, or related field

Additional Requirements
Proof of full COVID-19 Vaccination, defined as two-weeks after second vaccination of a two-dose vaccine series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two-weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)
Compensation: $15.80/per hour
Lincoln Park Zoo is committed to an environment that is inclusive and welcoming. We celebrate the diverse qualities, perspectives, values and experiences of all people. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with lived experience with racism and/or misogynoir are encouraged to apply For Wildlife. For All