The Toolik Field Station Environmental Data Center is hiring a dependable technician to support Arctic research projects. Working closely with the SEDC manager, you will collect, enter, and quality-control ecological, hydrological, and meteorological data. Your day-to-day tasks will include using field guides to identify Arctic flora and fauna and operating specialized equipment to measure greenness, discharge rates, and water chemistry. You will also troubleshoot and repair field and laboratory equipment while executing basic statistical analyses in Excel or R. Because communication is key, you will regularly interact with a diverse scientific community ranging from undergraduate students to senior researchers and agency personnel. Additionally, you will help advise seasonal technicians and interns to keep summer research projects running smoothly.
This position requires a high level of physical resilience to handle demanding fieldwork in variable Arctic weather conditions. You must be physically capable of traveling up to 10 miles round-trip daily across uneven tussock tundra or snow while carrying up to 50 pounds of gear. To access remote research sites, you will operate a wide variety of transportation, including driving 4-wheel-drive trucks on the Dalton Highway. Depending on the season and terrain, you will also navigate using snowmobiles, skis, snowshoes, motorboats, canoes, or simply on foot. Field operations continue through all types of weather, meaning you will work in everything from heat and wind to freezing snow. Strong attention to detail and safety are essential when managing these rigorous transit and field responsibilities.
Living and working at a remote facility like Toolik Field Station requires adaptability, a team-first mindset, and a strong work ethic. You will reside on-site for significant periods in a communal setting where personal privacy is naturally limited. The schedule matches the demands of the Arctic field season, routinely requiring 6-day workweeks and averaging 54 hours per week. While you must stay on task with minimal supervision, knowing when to ask questions and learn from your supervisor is critical. Finally, because we operate with a small staff in an isolated area, everyone is expected to pitch in with communal station upkeep. This means occasionally helping out with basic housekeeping, snow removal, food service, and general labor to support the camp.
Preferred Experience:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field of science (Biology, Ecology, Geography, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or a comparable field)
- Two years of post-bachelor's work experience or graduate school experience. Experience with plant and bird identification and ecological fieldwork. Interest and familiarity with Arctic flora and fauna.
- Attention to detail and willingness to learn new skills. Prior experience with ecological data collection, entry, and summary. Experience with herbaria.
- Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder, or willingness to be certified.
- Two years of coursework towards a Bachelor's degree in a field of science (Biology, Ecology, Geography, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or a comparable field).
- Two years of experience relevant to this position or a combination of training and experience.
- Valid AK driver’s license or able to obtain one within three months of being hired and a clean driving record in compliance with UA Safe Driving Criteria.
This position is located on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in Fairbanks, and is flexible on-site. This is a full-time, non-exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 77, based on education and experience.
We review applications on a rolling basis. Because we may close the posting once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is established, we encourage early submission. Please note that once a viable pool is identified, further applications may not be reviewed.
The University of Alaska (UA) requires employees to work on-site based on operational and business needs. Hybrid and remote work arrangements may be considered only for positions specifically designated and advertised as eligible for hybrid or remote work. Any approved arrangement will be based on the position’s duties, operational needs, and the employee’s ability to effectively perform the work remotely.
To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.
- ️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Ruth Dinardi, IAB HR Manager, at [email protected] or 907 474 6466.
- To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction. Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.
- This is a term-funded position reviewed annually for contract renewal at the University's discretion.
- This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by the Coalition of Alaska University Staff for Equity (CAUSE)-UAW.
The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the ADA team at [email protected].
The University of Alaska (www.alaska.edu) is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and Educational Institution. The University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination (www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination) against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.
The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.
Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.
All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.
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Access to the reports is available at:
UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or [email protected] / 907-786-1214 or [email protected].
UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or [email protected].
UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing [email protected].
