Four field assistant positions are available in an international research project on communication and behavioural ecology in nightingales (Luscinia megarhynchos).
Fieldwork will be done in April and May 2008 at the Research Station Petite Camargue Alsacienne in France (www.camargue.unibas.ch). The project is run by Dr. Valentin Amrhein (University of Basel, Switzerland) and Prof. Dr. Marc Naguib (Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Heteren, Netherlands).
To investigate vocal communication strategies of nightingales, we record songs (including nocturnal song) and conduct playback experiments. The field assistants will also participate in systematic surveys of territory settlement and singing activity, and assist in capturing and banding the birds. The field site is situated at the Petite Camargue Alsacienne in France, about 10 km north of Basel (Switzerland).
We cannot cover travel expenses, but we offer free accommodation and use of the infrastructure at the research station. Field assistants will receive 400 Euros to cover living expenses. Field assistants are expected to stay for the entire field season from 7 April to the end of May 2008. Field work will be demanding, and we will use bicycles to visit every nightingale territory on two extensive census rounds per day at midnight and at dawn, respectively.
Field assistants are expected to work on their own at night and thus should love working in dark and lonesome places only accompanied by singing nightingales.
The language at the research station will be English.
Please send applications by email to the following address: pca.recherche@orange.fr
Applications should be in English and should include, in one single pdf or word file, a curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation.
Please give names and email addresses of two persons who are willing to write a letter of recommendation. A
pplications received before 15 February 2008 will be given full consideration.