"Postbaccalaureate Research Technician"

Job Details

Overview

We – Conservation And Behavior Lab at Macalester College (PI: Dr. Stotra Chakrabarti) – are seeking 1–2 highly motivated Postbaccalaureate Research Technicians to join our NSF-funded Tsavo Simba Research Project. While lions in resource-rich savannas have long served as a model for mammalian sociality, our work aims to shift the focus to prey-scarce ecosystems, where lion group dynamics remain poorly understood.

In this project, we combine high-resolution satellite telemetry, remote cameras, and direct field observations to investigate how ecological variation shapes territoriality, fission-fusion, and social cohesion in lions at the interface of competition and resource availability. The project is a collaboration between Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, the Wildlife Research & Training Institute of Kenya (WRTI), and the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Research Tech/s will be based in Tsavo East NP, Kenya for the majority of their appointments. They will be collaborating with Project Leads (Drs. Stotra Chakrabarti, Joseph Bump, Frederick Lala) and researchers from WRTI, to collect, curate and manage field data. Fieldwork typically entails off-road driving to track lions and conduct vehicle transects, and hiking to set up cameras. All fieldwork is done as a team and the Research Techs will never be working alone during fieldwork. The positions offer several personal development opportunities such as immersive field training, individual led research, co-authorship on publications, mentorship of graduate fellowship applications (if interested), and support to participate/present in at least one national or international animal behavior conference.

Location: Tsavo East National Park, Voi, Kenya

Dates: Initial appointment will be for 9 months, starting January 2026, with the potential to extend for up to a year

About The CAB LAB:

We are broadly interested in the behavior and conservation of wild mammals. Specifically, we examine 1) the eco-evo of group-living in mammals, especially wild carnivores, 2) predator-prey interactions in diverse ecological settings, and 3) human-animal relationships across different socio-cultural landscapes.

For more insight into the kind of work we do with large carnivores, visit this link.

Responsibilities

• Ground monitoring of collared and non-collared lions using Satellite and VHF Telemetry
• Deploying and maintaining camera-trap grids
• Assisting in safe capture, immobilization, and collaring of lions and other carnivores
• Observational scan and focal behavioral data collection
• Managing and archiving collected data
• Other research tasks as needed

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications for Appointment:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Environmental Studies, Zoology, Conservation Science, or a related field earned within the past two years (no earlier than Spring 2024).
• Relevant coursework in Wildlife Monitoring, Wildlife Conservation, Animal Behavior or related topics
• Ability to work for long hours in remote conditions
• Due to NSF regulations covering these hires, applicants need to be US Citizens with a valid US Passport for travel to Kenya in January 2026 and stay for the duration of the appointment

Preferred Qualifications for Appointment:

• Ability to collect behavioral data from direct observations through scan and focal sampling
• Experience in carnivore morphometrics, aging and individual identification
• Experience or coursework related to carnivore immobilization and collaring
• Experience with relevant research work - either field or analytical
• Working proficiency in R and Arc/QGIS
• International Driving license valid through the end of the appointment term
• Wilderness first aid experience or certification
• Offroad driving experience
• Competent in the use of a DSLR/Mirrorless Camera

Compensation:

• Monthly stipend: $3,000 (Please note that this position will be paid out via 1099 as a contractor.)
• Housing: Shared on-site accommodation for crew members
• Transportation: Domestic travel covered
• Airfare: Round-trip ticket from the U.S. to field site in Kenya
• Travel Authorization: Support for Kenya eTA/visa
• Conference support: Partial or full funding to participate in one U.S.-based conference

Satisfactory completion of a criminal background check is a condition of employment.

Application Guidelines:

Applicants should be prepared to attach (as a single/merged) PDF containing the below 3 items:

• Motivation letter- not exceeding 1.5 pages, which includes relevant experience, why you are interested in the position, and how this position will help you progress in your career goals
• Current CV
• List the names and email addresses of two professional references who will be contacted for finalists.

Review of applications will begin on September 30, 2025, and highly qualified candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis.

For any queries, please contact Dr. Stotra Chakrabarti schakrab@macalester.edu

Organization

Working for Macalester College

Since its founding in 1874, Macalester has provided students the inspiration, insight and experience to become successful and ethical leaders. Classes are taught by faculty whose passion is teaching and whose scholarship gains national recognition. Two great cities at your doorstep. Macalester is nestled in a lovely, residential neighborhood–minutes from downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis–which offers students a wealth of internship opportunities in business, finance, medicine, government, law, the arts, and more.

Macalester students are citizens of over 90 countries. Our faculty earned their advanced degrees from some of the best schools in the world, and they remain thought-leaders in their fields. Macalester students enjoy a wealth of resources for research on and off campus–specialized laboratories, libraries, museum collections, distinct population groups for surveys, even a natural history center. Often students undertake research that makes real contributions to their discipline. They publish papers in scholarly journals, participate in conferences, and provide analysis for policy makers and real-world use.

Mission

Macalester is committed to being a preeminent liberal arts college with an educational program known for its high standards for scholarship and its special emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society.

Statement of Purpose and Belief

At Macalester College we believe that education is a fundamentally transforming experience. As a community of learners, the possibilities for this personal, social, and intellectual transformation extend to us all. We affirm the importance of the intellectual growth of the students, staff and faculty through individual and collaborative endeavor. We believe that this can best be achieved through an environment that values the diverse cultures of our world and recognizes our responsibility to provide a supportive and respectful environment for students, staff and faculty of all cultures and backgrounds.

We expect students to develop a broad understanding of the liberal arts while they are at Macalester. Students should follow a primary course of study in order to acquire an understanding of disciplinary theory and methodology; they should be able to apply their understanding of theories to address problems in the larger community. Students should develop the ability to use information and communication resources effectively, be adept at critical, analytical and logical thinking, and express themselves well in both oral and written forms. Finally, students should be prepared to take responsibility for their personal, social and intellectual choices.

We believe that the benefit of the educational experience at Macalester is the development of individuals who make informed judgments and interpretations of the broader world around them and choose actions or beliefs for which they are willing to be held accountable. We expect them to develop the ability to seek and use knowledge and experience in contexts that challenge and inform their suppositions about the world. We are committed to helping students grow intellectually and personally within an environment that models and promotes academic excellence and ethical behavior. The education a student begins at Macalester provides the basis for continuous transformation through learning and service.