Research Assistant

Expected End Date: December 31, 2026
Supervisor of position: Elena West
Work Location: (on TDX campus location is StPaul - UMTC, St. Paul): St. Paul campus and potentially various locations around Minnesota to conduct field work.
Desired/budgeted hourly wage for this work: $27/hour

We are seeking a research assistant to support post-field data processing and analysis for a study of Red-headed Woodpecker (RHWO) cavity behavior at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. This project combines continuous video recordings from nest cameras with passive acoustic monitoring data from co-deployed autonomous recording units (ARUs) to build a behavioral-acoustic ethogram linking RHWO vocalizations to behavioral contexts at the cavity entrance. The post-field phase involves organizing and reviewing a large volume of camera footage and ARU data, coding behavioral events, validating acoustic detections, and preparing data for analysis.

Primary duties include:

• Data Organization and Management (20%)
  • Transfers, organizes, and archives camera footage and ARU audio files according to established file naming and folder structure protocols
  • Maintains data logs tracking footage review progress, file integrity, and backup status
  • Performs quality assurance and quality control checks on all data entries, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established protocols
  • Enters field metadata and behavioral coding data into electronic spreadsheets and databases
• Camera Footage Review and Behavioral Coding (40%)
  • Reviews continuous nest camera video recordings to identify and log RHWO behavioral events at the cavity entrance
  • Develops and applies a standardized behavioral ethogram coding scheme in collaboration with the PI
  • Records behavioral event timestamps, duration, and contextual notes for each coded event
  • Flags ambiguous or unusual behavioral events for additional review
• Acoustic Data Processing and Validation (30%)
  • Processes ARU audio data using bioacoustic software (e.g., Raven Pro, BirdNET) to detect and classify RHWO vocalizations
  • Reviews and validates automated acoustic detections against reference recordings, distinguishing true detections from false positives
  • Matches validated ARU detections to contemporaneous camera behavioral events by timestamp
  • Contributes to the development of a validated RHWO call library for use in future automated detection workflows
• Other Duties (10%)
  • Assists with preparation of data summaries and figures to support manuscript development
  • Participates in lab meetings and contributes to protocol refinement as the behavioral coding workflow develops
  • Assists with other West Lab research tasks as needed

Required

• High school graduation or the equivalent with some science courses and laboratory experience should provide the necessary background for work of this class.
• Equivalent combination of relevant academic and work experience may be substituted
• A valid driver's license

Preferred

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in ecology, wildlife biology, ornithology, or a related field
• Prior experience with bioacoustic data processing and acoustic detection software (e.g., Raven Pro, BirdNET, or similar)
• Experience reviewing and coding wildlife camera footage or other large audiovisual datasets
• Familiarity with Red-headed Woodpecker natural history, vocalizations, and/or cavity nesting behavior
• Experience with quality assurance workflows for large ecological datasets
• Strong attention to detail, ability to work independently for extended periods on data review tasks, and excellent organizational skills
  

Research in the West Lab focuses on the ecology, conservation, and management of wildlife, with an emphasis on North American birds. Current projects address how human activities shape the behavior, movement, and population dynamics of (largely) terrestrial animals and emphasize the development of innovative methods to study species of conservation concern. We use field data, bioacoustics monitoring, spatial analyses, community science data, and quantitative approaches to provide applied outcomes for pressing conservation issues.

Pay Range: $27.00 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience.

Retirement plan options are available for Civil Service, Faculty, Labor-Represented, Professional & Administrative, and Temp Casual classifications. Learn more about retirement plans.

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