Seasonal Sea Turtle Night Technician

Job Title: Sea Turtle Night Technician 

Department: Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Status: Seasonal 

Pay: $15.97 per hour

Reports to: Research Program Manager

Benefits: Parking pass, Amenity passes, and Georgia Defined Contribution Plan (GDCP)

Closing date:  Open until filled
Note: This is seasonal position that will not exceed 6 months in duration that will start early April 2025 and is estimated to end late August 2025. Actual length of employment may be shorter than 6 months.  The selected candidates may work up to 40 hours week plus overtime when required.

Jekyll Island is dedicated to maintaining the delicate balance between nature and humankind through conservation, education, and preservation. Surrounded by salt marshes, expansive oceanfront, and ancient maritime forests, it is situated within the chain of the Golden Isles and just a few miles from St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Brunswick. As a State Park, Jekyll Island is a coastal haven where nature and humans peacefully co-exist. 
 
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center: The Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC), operated by the Jekyll Island Authority, is a state-of-the-art facility focused on sea turtle rehabilitation, research, and education. The GSTC works to better understand the ecology and conservation needs of turtles on Jekyll Island, and in the region, while collaborating with other individuals and organizations to study a wide variety of wildlife. The GSTC’s flagship research, monitoring, and conservation projects encompass our diamondback terrapin and sea turtle conservation initiatives. Our work also supports the Jekyll Island Conservation Plan and its mission to preserve, maintain, manage, and restore Jekyll Island’s natural communities and species diversity while providing nature-based educational and recreational opportunities for the public. 

Job Summary: Under limited supervision, the Sea Turtle Night Technician is responsible for collecting scientific data, curating large datasets, and working alongside volunteers and interns. In addition to being passionate about scientific research, the ideal candidate will be detail oriented, highly organized, and a dynamic communicator able to interface with personnel, visiting public, island residents, and local authorities. 

Description of duties:

• Perform nighttime sea turtle tagging, nest protection efforts, stranding responses, and data collection (8pm – 6am four nights per week May-July).
• Work professionally alongside interns and volunteers.
• Follow high quality data collection and management protocols.
• Maintain research equipment, update supply inventories, and communicate purchasing needs
• Perform field-based education programs
• Interact positively with the public during normal fieldwork activities and scheduled programs
• Assist in internal and external events
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications and required abilities:
Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in related field (e.g., wildlife management, ecology, biology, zoology) required with a minimum of one (1) year related experience, including field experience
• Ability to faithfully follow data collection and management protocols with great attention to detail
• Team player with excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Positive demeanor, with demonstrated ability to solve problems in group settings and individually
• Diplomatic and patient communication skills; ability to communicate challenging issues
• Ability to self-manage time to ensure that all primary responsibilities are met
• Ability to work a demanding schedule which is predominantly nocturnal including weekends and holidays, and be on-call for emergencies
• Ability to operate UTVs, bicycles, and perform basic maintenance
• Valid driver’s license required

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience performing sea turtle nesting beach field research, including tagging and morphometrics, nest protection, and working cohesively as part of a team
• Knowledge of sea turtle biology, ecology and scientific literature
• Experience handling sea turtles

Housing: 

• For seasonal staff, there is shared housing available for $300.00 per month with a $100 security deposit through Jekyll Island Authority. Housing payment will be paid through payroll deduction if housing is chosen.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

• The work week will generally be 8pm – 6am including occasional holidays (e.g. 4th of July).
• Exert up to 65 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds constantly to move objects.
• Ability to ride a bicycle and operate a utility vehicle
• More than 50% of the typical workday will be spent sitting, standing, and/or walking.
• Between 25% and 50% of the day will be spent lifting, reaching, standing or sitting.
• Less than 25% of the day will be spent climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pulling and grasping.
• Sensory abilities required include vision, hearing and touching with more than 50% of the day spent communicating; talking and hearing.
• Must have close visual clarity to perform up close work such as working with a computer as well as visual clarity to operate motor vehicles.
• Work will be performed both inside and outside. Work may be subject to extreme cold, extreme heat, rain, high humidity, and extremely high densities of biting insects. Work includes exposure to vibrations, hazards, infectious diseases, and potentially dangerous animals. The field portion of this position requires a level of fitness and mental resiliency for variable distances walking through thickly vegetated woods and on the beach. Tolerance of hot, buggy, rainy, inclement field conditions will be needed. Extreme diligence with checking for ticks.
• Noise level is considered normal to loud, may require shouting.

This description of job responsibilities is intended to reflect the major responsibilities and duties of the job. It is not intended to describe minor duties or other responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time. 
 
This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.  Applicants who complete the online application process will receive an email receipt of submission to the email address provided.  If the email confirmation is not received, the applicant may contact Human Resources at 912-635-4024 for confirmation; however, due to the volume of applicants received, we cannot provide information on the application status after receipt.  Applicants who need assistance to accommodate a disability may request accommodation by contacting Human Resources at 912-635-4024. 
 
All qualified applicants will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. Incomplete applications or applications without accompanying documents when required will not be considered.  Selected applicants will be contacted for the next steps in the selection process. Successful completion of background checks requires credit when applicable to the position.  Relocation expenses are not authorized; applicants should consider this when applying.  
 
Jekyll Island Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Authority supports equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. The Jekyll Island is a Drug Free Workplace.