Santa Cruz Puma Project Field Researcher (Junior Specialist)

UC Santa Cruz · Environmental Studies

Pay: $57,000
Hours: Full-time (100%)
Where: Santa Cruz, CA
Posted: Aug 24

Chris Wilmers in the Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for the position of Santa Cruz Puma Project Field Researcher (Junior Specialist). The successful candidate will work independently in the field in the Santa Cruz Mountains assisting with puma capture and collaring, visiting GPS clusters for prey identification, conducting telemetry checks on collared pumas (including by using piloted drone telemetry), and various associated field research tasks.

Applicants with detailed knowledge of the Santa Cruz Mountains and experience working with pumas are strongly encouraged to apply.

The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.

Environmental Studies: https://envs.ucsc.edu/

Wilmers Lab: https://wildlife.ucsc.edu/

What they want

BA or BS (or equivalent foreign degree) in Environmental Studies, Biology, or closely related field (e.g. Wildlife Management, Natural Resources).
2 years experience working on pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains
Commercial drone piloting license

Starts: Aug 24, 2026