Seeking research assistants in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia, for a research project to evaluate underwater noise impacts of boats on humpback whales. Project Outline: The research project aims to investigate the underwater noise impacts of whale-watching boats on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). The project will conduct boat-based controlled exposure experiments using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) to measure behavioural responses of whales to the boat. We are seeking volunteers for full-time assistance from August 1st-October 31st 2018 (southern migration of humpback whales). Primary Investigators: Dr Kate R. Sprogis and Prof. Peter T. Madsen. Location: Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia. Exmouth is a small, remote town with limited shops that is ~15hrs drive north of Perth. Exmouth is the town associated with the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park. Duties: Field- behavioural data collection, boat driving, assistance with UAVs (pending previous experience), assistance with D-tagging, assistance with the underwater loudspeaker. Office- Download of DTAG and UAV data, Data entry, UAV video processing, equipment maintenance, project organisation and logistics. Preferred skills and traits: 1. Completed a degree in biology, marine science, animal behaviour or a related field. 2. Previous field experience with cetaceans (e.g. with underwater acoustics, D-tagging, behavioural field data collection, focal follows, UAV experience). 3. Have boating experience. 4. Be enthusiastic, team oriented and have a positive, mature attitude as well as a genuine interest in wildlife science. Preferred candidates will have experience working well in a small team and in remote locations, are fluent in English, and have experience using computer programs (e.g. MATLAB). Assistants should be adaptable and patient as fieldwork is highly weather dependent (e.g. any day with <15knt winds, including weekends). When the weather permits expect boat days to be long and on consecutive days. On non-field days, data processing will be required. Costs of housing (in a shared research house with 3-4 others) and food will be covered for the research season (3 months). Research assistants will be responsible for their own travel to Exmouth, WA (coach buses and direct flights from Perth are available). If you are interested in being an assistant, please provide a short CV (including academic referees) and a one-page cover letter to kate.sprogis@bios.au.dk<mailto:kate.sprogis@bios.au.dk>. Kate Sprogis, PhD Marie Skłodowska-Curie Post-doctoral Fellow Marine Bioacoustics Lab<http://www.marinebioacoustics.com/>, Dept. of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Denmark kate.sprogis@bios.au.dk<mailto:kate.sprogis@bios.au.dk> Adjunct, Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit, Perth, Australia http://mucru.org/group-member/kate-sprogis/ Twitter, Instagram: @KateSprogis [cid:image001.jpg@01D3EB7A.56872030]
