Overview

Panthera, founded in 2006, is devoted exclusively to the conservation of wild cats and their ecosystems. Utilizing the expertise of the world’s premier cat biologists, Panthera develops and implements global conservation strategies for the most imperiled large cats – tigers, lions, jaguars, snow leopards, cheetahs, pumas and leopards. Representing the most comprehensive effort of its kind, Panthera works in partnership with local and international NGOs, scientific institutions, local communities and governments around the globe. For more on Panthera, visit www.panthera.org.

The Olympic Cougar Project

The Olympic Cougar Project is co-led by Panthera and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe in collaboration with the Skokomish, Makah, Jamestown S’Klallam, and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribes, the Point No Point Treaty Council, the University of Idaho, EarthRanger, and the Washington Department of Transportation. Panthera is also a member of The Washington Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group, a massive collaboration aimed at increasing connectivity across I-5.

Principal responsibilities and duties

  • Primary focus will be the field-based cougar (puma, mountain lion) work on the Olympic Cougar Project—specifically in the southern parts of our study area.

Estimated 90% field work:

  • Ground-based telemetry, and research on foraging, fecundity and social behaviors based upon GPS location data (e.g. “cluster” searches).
  • Support and participation of safe cougar capture.
  • Participation in our collaborative camera sampling—setting and maintaining motion-triggered cameras in summer. These activities require continuous hiking alone off-trail, in rugged, unforgiving terrain with medium and large carnivores (bobcats, coyotes, cougars, black bears), driving and sometimes maintaining four-wheel drive vehicles, safe use of chain saws to clear roads, driving in slippery snow and mud in areas where it is very easy to become stuck, and coordination with other project staff and the staff of project collaborators (6 Tribal Nations).

Estimated 10% other duties:

  • Computer work to support ongoing data collection and sometimes data analyses on local cougars. Examples are recording behaviors from videos captured at kill sites, and pulling images for our database for AI-based facial recognition analyses. Any other activity identified by the supervisor that supports ongoing conservation research activities for cougars on the Olympic Cougar Project. Examples are driving to collect liver samples from wardens that kill bobcats or cougars, delivering GPS collars to collaborators, dealing with mechanics to fix and maintain vehicles.

Other activities:

Participate within the Puma Program:

  • Attend and contribute to regular meetings with members of the Puma Program, where we update each other on current activities and brainstorm new work, creative outreach, and more.
  • Participate in science production as interested within the Puma Program.
  • Attend and participate in Panthera’s Conservation Science (CS) team meetings, and potentially in collaborations and exchange across Species programs and departments (we currently meet every other month as a full CS staff).
  • Always acting as professional ambassador and liaison for Panthera more broadly with state, provincial, and federal agencies, universities and other partnering individuals and organizations. Most important are our relationships with our Tribal Nation partners, and this position will at times be working to catch cougars and conduct other field work in teams of people representing Panthera and Tribal Nations.

Because the Olympic Project is highly collaborative, excellent communication skills are necessary.

Qualifications and experience

  • B.S. in ecology or wildlife conservation or commensurate experience.
  • Experience working in remote, rugged locations independently, and experience working in the Pacific Northwest preferred.
  • Experience working in collaborative research teams of mixed cultures, and experience working with Native American Tribes preferred.
  • Experience with GPS navigation, and driving four-wheel drive vehicles.
  • Experience using chainsaws safely.
  • Willingness to work independently in the south Olympic Peninsula for extended periods.
  • Some level of safety training (e.g. wilderness first aid).