Environmental Monitor - Sea Turtle Nesting Surveys Martin / St.Lucie Counties, FL

Job Description

Job Description

Salary : Hourly, starting at $18

Location : South Hutchinson Island, St. Lucie and Martin Counties, and Jupiter Island, Martin County

Position Type : Seasonal

Duration : March 2026 to November 2026, dates may vary depending on nesting season

Pay Classification / Compensation : Starting at $18.00 / hour, Part-time, Hourly, Non-exempt, Not Benefit Eligible

Hours : 20 to 40 hours per week, work hours will vary ranging from about 20 hours per week at the beginning of the season to 40 hours per week during peak season. Variability in hours is dependent on nesting activity and project monitoring requirements.

Housing : Not provided

Application : Single document containing letter of interest, resume, and the names and email addresses of 3 references. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are hiring for 3 locations, include which locations you are interested in, in your letter of interest; do not need to submit multiple applications.

Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) is an environmental consulting firm headquartered in Jensen Beach, Florida providing a broad range of biological and ecological services. Detailed information on the firm can be found on the website listed above.

During 2026, EAI will be documenting sea turtle nesting and reproductive success on South Hutchinson and Jupiter Islands, Florida. This will involve daily early morning surveys using all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to record all sea turtle nesting activity, marking and monitoring of nests sites, and excavating marked nests. Other related activities may include responding to sea turtle strandings, conducting beach escarpment surveys or shorebird surveys, supporting community outreach events and programs, and assisting with data management. EAI will also be providing wildlife monitoring services for three beach nourishment projects which will require nighttime surveys. Nighttime monitoring will involve patrolling the beach via ATV at least once an hour from 9 : 00 PM to sunrise the following morning, recording all sea turtle nesting activity, encountering nesting female sea turtles as they lay their eggs, and relocating the eggs or leaving the eggs in situ and barricading the nest for avoidance. Note this is not a nighttime tagging program. EAI anticipates nighttime monitoring will be required for 1-3 months, after which surveyors will resume daytime surveys.

EAI is seeking individuals to assist in the surveys described above. We are looking for individuals with previous sea turtle monitoring experience, or previous field experience following standard operating procedures collecting data under adverse conditions. We are also looking for individuals who are effective communicators and team players that are flexible as things change or come up unexpectedly.

Job Summary :

Environmental Monitors perform field work and provide support for a variety of projects, with an expected ratio of 80% field and 20% office work during a typical week.

Daytime Work Duties / Responsibilities :

• Conduct early morning beach surveys on an ATV.
• Identify and record the numbers of turtle crawls by species.
• Obtain GPS readings of all crawls using hand-held Trimble / Survey123 app.
• Locate eggs and mark sea turtle nests.
• Monitor sea turtle nests to determine nest fates and dates of hatchling emergence.
• Evaluate hatchling tracks to ensure they reached the ocean.
• Excavate nests and interpret contents.
• Respond to and collect data from stranded sea turtles.
• Conduct weekly post-construction shorebird nesting surveys; identify species and document nesting and courtship behavior.
• Conduct weekly post-construction beach escarpment surveys.
• Enter data in Microsoft Excel and Survey123.
• Clean and maintain ATVs.

Nighttime Work Duties / Responsibilities :

Required Skills / Abilities :

Preferred Skills / Abilities :

Education and Experience :

Physical Requirements :

Reports to :

Senior Scientist and Biologist

Equal Opportunity Employer Drug Free Workplace

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.