Seasonal Project Assistants “Mouse-Mast Project”

This position is full time (35 hours/week) or part time (12+ hours/week). This is an hourly, non-exempt, non-benefited position. Wage starts at $20/hour and is commensurate with education and experience.

Summary : Research the dynamics of mammalian communities and the relationships between mammals, ticks, oak trees, and Lyme disease. Position reports to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld and Dr. Shannon LaDeau.

Job Description: Duties include sampling abundance of ticks, wildlife camera deployment and image processing, tree seed collection, creating soil core enclosures for measuring tick survival within eastern deciduous forest plots, and general data and GIS work.

Qualifications: Meticulous attention to detail and experience in field ecology is required. Prior experience with GIS is preferred.

Conditions : Location is the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York's Hudson River Valley, and nearby urban parks. This is primarily a field position with a lot of daily hiking. Early morning, late afternoon. Employment can begin Sept 28, with an end date of approximately mid-November 2026 or February 2027.

On-site housing is available.

Closing Date : Position is open until filled. Review of applications will begin on Sept 22, 2026.

To Apply : Please submit job application via Under “Resume” on the application page, click the “Upload Resume” link to upload a single PDF file consisting of a letter of application, a resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references.

The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Cary Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, familial status, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is an independent environmental research organization dedicated to understanding ecosystems and addressing key environmental challenges. With a focus on freshwater, forests, disease, and cities, our scientists are global experts in ecology and tackle issues such as climate change, biodiversity change and human impacts on land and water.
At the Cary Institute, we prioritize sharing our science to enhance ecological literacy and foster informed decision-making.