Imagine walking the streets and green spaces of a mid-sized American city at dawn or dusk, setting live traps designed for elusive predators, checking camera grids that capture the secret lives of animals most residents never notice, and later downloading GPS data that reveals how coyotes, bobcats, and red foxes navigate a landscape filled with people, roads, and backyards. This is not a nature documentary. It is real fieldwork available right now through a collaborative project between Utah State University and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
The Mesocarnivore Research Technician position places you at the center of an ongoing study of urban ecology in Wichita, Kansas. If you have experience live-trapping mesocarnivores, working with camera traps, and a genuine interest in how medium-sized predators adapt to human-dominated environments, this role offers direct, paid experience that few entry-level wildlife jobs can match.
Summary
- Company: Utah State University
- Job Title: Mesocarnivore Research Technician
- Job Type: Full Time
- Qualification: BA/BSc/HND/MSC
- Location: USA
Job Title: Mesocarnivore Research Technician
Why Urban Mesocarnivores Matter
Mesocarnivores—coyotes, bobcats, and red foxes—sit in the middle of the food web. They influence rodent and rabbit populations, interact with domestic pets and livestock at the urban edge, and serve as indicators of how wildlife responds to rapid urbanization. Across the Great Plains, these species have proven remarkably successful in cities. They take advantage of abundant food sources such as rodents, trash, and pet food while facing fewer large predators than in rural areas.
Yet managers still lack detailed local data on movement patterns, habitat selection, social dynamics, and human interactions for Wichita, the largest city in Kansas. The current project fills that gap. Researchers use GPS collars, a city-wide camera trap grid, and citizen science reports to map where these animals travel, what habitats they prefer, and how they coexist with people. Findings will support better management decisions by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and contribute to broader understanding of urban carnivore ecology.
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You can explore the project background and even submit your own sightings through the official Wichita Urban Coyote and Fox Project page. Public reports help researchers compare camera-trap data with real-world observations and build community support for coexistence strategies.
What the Mesocarnivore Research Technician Actually Does
The technician works under the guidance of Dr. Julie Young’s lab in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University, in partnership with Dr. Jon Beckmann and Matt Peek of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Two graduate students are also attached to the project but will be on campus for classes during the fall semester, so the technician carries significant field responsibility.
Primary duties include:
- Setting and maintaining live traps to capture coyotes, bobcats, and red foxes.
- Assisting with chemical immobilization and fitting GPS collars (veterinary staff from Sedgwick County Zoo support all capture and collaring work).
- Maintaining a camera trap grid that operates in four seasonal sessions each year.
- Monitoring previously collared animals through remote data downloads and field checks.
- Communicating regularly with collaborators, partner organizations, and members of the public.
A field truck is provided. Hours range from 20 to 40 per week and frequently include early mornings, evenings, nights, and weekends because mesocarnivores are most active outside normal business hours. The work demands physical stamina, careful attention to animal welfare and safety protocols, and the ability to talk comfortably with homeowners, landowners, and agency staff.
Salary falls between $16 and $19 per hour depending on experience. Housing is not provided, though short-term options may be available while the selected candidate secures longer-term lodging in the Wichita area.
The position can begin as early as September 30, 2026, and no later than November 2, 2026. It is expected to last at least six months, with possible extension based on performance, project needs, and the return of graduate students after the academic semester. Additional opportunities may arise to support behavioral and cognitive data collection on the same animals.
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Who Should Apply
Utah State University strongly encourages candidates from underrepresented groups in STEM to apply. The university is an equal opportunity employer.
Minimum requirements include:
- Demonstrated experience live-trapping mesocarnivores.
- Experience operating and maintaining camera traps.
- Ability to work long and irregular field hours in all weather.
- Strong communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
- Valid U.S. driver’s license.
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent educational experience in ecology, biology, wildlife, zoology, or a closely related field.
- Clear interest in urban ecology.
No prior professional experience beyond the trapping and camera work is required, making the position accessible to recent graduates and advanced undergraduates who have gained relevant skills through coursework, internships, or volunteer projects.
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How to Stand Out and Apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with the first round examined by September 1, 2026, so early submission improves chances of an interview. The formal deadline is October 1, 2026, or until the position is filled.
Prepare a single PDF named YourName_urbanTECHapplication that contains:
- A letter of interest that states your earliest available start date and explains why urban mesocarnivore ecology interests you.
- A current CV or resume highlighting trapping, camera, and any related field experience.
- Contact information for three professional or academic references.
Email the PDF directly to Dr. Julie Young at julie.young@usu.edu. Phone contact is also listed as 406-274-2290, but email is preferred.
Before applying, review Dr. Young’s research profile and recent work on carnivore behavior and human-wildlife interactions at Utah State University. Familiarity with the broader literature on urban coyotes and bobcats strengthens both the letter of interest and interview performance.
Career Value of This Field Experience
Hands-on GPS collaring, live trapping, and camera-trap management remain highly valued skills in wildlife biology, conservation agencies, environmental consulting, and graduate programs. Employers and admissions committees look for applicants who have safely handled medium-sized carnivores, followed strict animal-care protocols, and worked independently in real urban landscapes rather than only in controlled study sites.
The collaborative nature of the project—university researchers, state wildlife agency staff, zoo veterinarians, and the public—also builds professional networks that often lead to future opportunities. Successful technicians frequently transition into graduate research, agency technician roles, or longer-term monitoring positions.
For those still building experience, consider volunteering with camera-trap projects, participating in citizen-science platforms, or seeking short seasonal technician posts listed on the same Natural Resources Job Board that hosts this announcement. Skills transfer directly.
Related Resources for Aspiring Wildlife Technicians
- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks main site for additional regional opportunities and regulations: ksoutdoors.gov
- Citizen-science reporting form for coyote and fox sightings in Wichita (helps the project and demonstrates engagement): survey link
- Broader wildlife job boards such as the Texas A&M Natural Resources Job Board and The Wildlife Society career center for similar seasonal and permanent positions across the United States.
- Peer-reviewed literature on urban canids and bobcats available through university libraries or open-access repositories; searching for recent papers by Julie Young and collaborators provides useful context.
Urban wildlife research sits at the intersection of ecology, behavior, and human dimensions. Cities are no longer empty of large predators; they are dynamic ecosystems where mesocarnivores thrive. The technicians who collect the data that reveal those dynamics shape management and policy for decades.
If you meet the qualifications and feel drawn to the challenge of studying coyotes, bobcats, and red foxes where people live and work, prepare your application materials carefully and submit them soon. The first review of candidates begins in early September 2026. This Mesocarnivore Research Technician role offers a rare combination of technical skill-building, meaningful science, and real-world urban fieldwork that can launch or accelerate a career in wildlife biology.
Full details appear on the Natural Resources Job Board listing and the accompanying Box document.