Wild Turkey Field Technicians – Illinois

The PEASE Lab at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) is hiring four field technicians to assist with the Wild Turkey Nesting Phenology and Gobbling Chronology projects in Illinois from January through June of 2027: 

• Turkey Tagging and Acoustic Monitoring Technician (4)

position Summary:  

Turkey Tagging  

The technicians will be expected to trap and tag turkey in the late winter and monitor and collect data on tagged turkey through the end of the field season. Work hours will vary (early morning trapping in winter, some potentially long days in spring and summer). 

This position does not require previous trapping experience, however familiarity with game bird trapping is a plus. Housing is provided, and the technician will be expected to perform most responsibilities independently with occasional assistance from the master’s students. Travel is required for this position; however, work vehicles will be provided.  

Turkey Acoustic Monitoring  

Duties include deployment, maintenance, and retrieval of autonomous recording units across Illinois, as well as processing the resulting acoustic data.  

The position does not require previous experience with deployment/retrieval of ARU’s. Housing is not provided for the entire duration of the position, but we will work with you to find housing solutions.  

The technician will be expected to perform most responsibilities independently and with assistance from the master’s students. Travel is required for this position; however, vehicles will be provided. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Trapping, handling, and fitting turkeys with GPS backpacks and leg bands
• Tracking tagged turkeys via telemetry throughout the nesting and brooding seasons
• Habitat/Forestry Surveys
• Record and enter data
• Maintaining/organizing field house and equipment for the duration of the position.
• Assisting master’s students in both Jo Daviess County (Northern Illinois) and Carbondale (Southern Illinois) as needed.
• Assisting with ARU deployment, maintenance, and retrieval
• Cleaning and sanitizing equipment upon arrival
• Uploading data to external hard drives/cloud storage provided
• Data processing including manual review of sound recordings

Qualifications 

• Ability to hike long distances in potentially harsh conditions (snow, cold, icy, hilly terrain, etc.)
• Ability to carry and move equipment
• Ability to navigate using GPS coordinates
• Ability to work both independently and as a team.
• Strong communication skills
• Valid driver’s license