Employment Opportunities

Seasonal GIS Technician (two months)

The Clifton Institute seeks a Seasonal GIS Technician to assist with the analysis of vegetation data that were collected with a drone.

The project:

In 2019 we started a project to restore 45 hectares (110 acres) of overgrazed cattle pasture that was dominated by non-native grasses to a native grassland. We are testing eight combinations of establishment and management methods in order to figure out which is most effective at restoring native plant diversity (see here). The plots average 6 hectares (15 acres) in size.

We are partnering with the Restoration Ecology Lab at Virginia Tech and Virginia Working Landscapes to do traditional plant surveys (10 1×1-meter quadrats per plot) to measure the success of each treatment. But the plots are huge and our ability to capture the marked heterogeneity in the plots is limited. So, we also collected vegetation data with a drone. The goal is to use the drone data to estimate the percent cover of the 15 most common plant species in the field.

Qualifications:

  • The successful applicant will have advanced skills in ESRI ArcGIS Pro, especially with ArcGIS Image Analyst tools.  The analysis will involve feature extraction, image classification, multidimensional arrays, and change detection workflow development. The datasets to be analyzed include 4K RGB, multispectral, and thermal imagery, combined with Lidar. 
  • The successful applicant will be given access to ArcGIS Pro and all the relevant extensions.
  • In addition to the required technical skills specified above, candidates with experience with scientific writing and data analysis in R will be preferred but neither of these skills is required.

Duties:

  • The successful applicant will analyze multiple datasets that were collected from a drone with the goal of estimating coverage of the dominant plant species.
  • If the technician finishes the analysis before the two months are up, we will work together on drafting a manuscript that compares the plant data collected from traditional plant surveys to the drone data.
  • The position can be in-person or fully remote.
  • This is a data analysis position. No drone flying will be involved but the technician will be encouraged to visit the restoration site in northern Virginia with Clifton Institute staff.

Salary and benefits:

The successful applicant will receive:

  • $1,567 per month.
  • Authorship on the resulting publication as appropriate.

Term:

This is a full-time 40 hours per week position that will last for two months.

Start date:

15 January 2024 (flexible)

How to apply:

Please send applications to jobs@cliftoninstitute.org. Please include a resume (including GPA from Bachelor’s degree if applicable) and a short cover letter describing your interest in working at the Clifton Institute. We much prefer to read a cover letter about how this position fits in with your interests and goals rather than a letter trying to convince us of your qualifications. Pleease submit your documents in a single pdf file. Please also provide the names and email addresses of at least two references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we will contact you if we would like to schedule an interview.

American Kestrel Project, Prey Abundance Technicians

The project:

The Clifton Institute, in partnership with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), launched a research program in 2021 to investigate habitat selection of American Kestrels in northern Virginia. We tagged 61 kestrels with GPS transmitters and learned that they prefer cattle pastures for hunting, but they also use other habitats, and that their usage of different habitats changes through the season. In 2024 we will measure the abundance of kestrel prey in cattle pastures, hay fields, and native meadows, with the goal of better understanding their requirements. We will use our results to inform farmers and other landowners how they can manage their land to benefit kestrels and other declining species.

SIX-MONTH TECHNICIAN: This is a 6-month position beginning March 15, 2024 and ending September 15, 2024.

FIVE-MONTH TECHNICIAN: This is a 5-month position beginning April1, 2024 and ending September 1, 2024.

DUTIES: 1) set up arrays of track pads to measure small mammal abundance, 2) do transect surveys for insects, 3) enter and analyze data, 4) prepare an early draft of a manuscript for publication, 5) other duties as assigned.  We expect about 80% of this position to be field-based.

BENEFITS: The successful applicant may expect to receive:  $1,567 per month, free basic housing and utilities, and reimbursement for mileage driven on their personal vehicle for fieldwork ($0.625 per mile/current federal rate).

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE: 1. Strong interest in wildlife and applied conservation 2. Demonstrated ability to work in challenging field conditions. The job will involve long days, 90+ degree heat, high humidity, thick thorny undergrowth, ticks and chiggers, and hiking off trail. 3. Excellent organization skills and strong attention to detail. 4. Comfort with Microsoft Windows, Excel, and Google Sheets which will be used for data entry. 5. Excellent communication skills, and professionalism when working with people from different backgrounds. 6. Ability to work independently but an interest and excitement to collaborate with team members. The position will involve close work with additional project interns and students. 7. Valid US Driver’s License and ability to use personal vehicle for travel among study sites. 8. Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. 9. Vaccination against COVID-19 required.

PREFERRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE 1. Data analysis in R 2. Scientific writing

TO APPLY: Please send the following materials in an email to jobs@cliftoninstitute.org. Send your materials as a single PDF, with your last name and “Prey Abundance SIX MONTH or FIVE MONTH” in the file name and subject line of the email (VERY IMPORTANT). 1. A 1-page cover letter 2. A brief resume/CV. We much prefer to read a cover letter about how this position fits in with your interests and goals rather than a letter trying to convince us of your qualifications.

Nature Camp Educator

Term: July 8-19th*, 2024 plus a paid training day earlier in the summer (date TBD)

Times: Approximately 8:30AM – 4:30PM, M-F (varies day to day)

Description:  The Clifton Institute seeks Nature Camp Educators to assist with 2 weeks of Young Naturalists Camp.  This is an all-outdoors day-camp for 7-12 year olds, with a heavy emphasis on the ecology of the Piedmont.  This position involves working on a 6-person education team, 3 of whom are year-round Clifton staff, to manage a group of 25 campers.  

Each week of camp has an overarching theme–insects and plants–and each day of the week focuses on some element of that theme.  For example, during Plant Week we may spend a morning workshop doing a deep dive on ferns.  A Clifton staff member is responsible for teaching the morning workshop, which is followed by a hike in two smaller groups to expand on something from the morning workshop.  After eating a picnic lunch, campers sign up for their choice of 1 of 3 offered afternoon activities, which are different each day and led by any interested staff member. Example afternoon activities include hiking as pretend raccoons, a specialized class on beetle identification, or making puppets of native flowers. The day closes by splitting into 6 small groups for Nature Journaling.  

We are a small and flexible staff who hope to provide not only a safe and fun space for campers, but also a place for educators to hone their skills, learn from each other, and get creative.

*For an applicant who has some background in research and/or field work, we are also looking for help with our Young Scientists Research Experience from June 24-28th.  If interested, we could likely stretch this position to go from June 24th-July 19th.  

Ideal Qualifications:

  • Experience leading or participating in ecological research
  • Familiarity with the natural history of the Piedmont region and/or a strong interest in learning

Essential Qualifications:

  • Experience working with children in an outdoor setting
  • CPR/First Aid certified or willing to become certified before the start of camp (will be reimbursed for cost)
  • Able to move over uneven terrain for up to 2 hours at a time in summer heat and humidity
  • Over 18 

Duties:

  • Working with other camp staff members to plan and coordinate camp events
  • Leading and supporting campers as they participate in age-appropriate activities
  • Monitoring campers to ensure compliance with camp rules and prevent accidents
  • Cleaning, maintaining and ensuring proper use of camp facilities and equipment
  • Participating in staff training and follow-up evaluation meetings

Salary and benefits:

  • $450 per week for 1st time staff, going up $50/week for each return year (up to $600/week); paid twice, by check, at the end of each week of camp
  • $90 for day of training (date early June or July, TBD)

Deadline for Application:

  • Monday, March 15th 2024

How to apply:

Please send applications to jobs@cliftoninstitute.org. Please include a resume and a short cover letter to the Clifton education team describing your interest in working at the Clifton Institute. We much prefer to read a cover letter about how this position fits in with your interests and goals rather than a letter trying to convince us of your qualifications. Please submit your documents in a single pdf file. Please also provide the names and email addresses of at least two references in the body of your email. Applications will be reviewed after applications close. We will contact you if we would like to schedule an interview at that time.

In the administration of its employment policies and practices, The Clifton Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status, matriculation, political affiliation or genetic information.

Updated 20 February 2024