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Black Bear Technician-short term, no degree required 2026-2027

Employer
Sul Ross State University
Location
Alpine
View more categoriesView less categories
Employment Type
Full Time
Institution Type
Four-Year Institution

Job Details

Instructions to applicants:

A list of 3 references may be submitted in place of letters of recommendation.

PLEASE NOTE: All applications should contain complete job history entries, which includes job title, dates of employment, name of employer, supervisor’s name and phone number and a description of duties performed. If this information is not submitted, your application may be rejected because it is incomplete. Resumes and curriculum vitae do not take the place of this required information.

Job Title:

Black Bear Technician-short term, no degree required 2026-2027

Location:

Alpine

Department:

Borderlands Research Institute

Job No.:

G99451

Posting Date:

04/20/2026

Until Filled:

Yes

Appointment Date:

09/01/2026

Salary:

$18/hour up to 40 hours/week

Required:

  • Progress towards or completion of a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology, biology, ecology, or closely related field.
  • Ability to lift and carry over 50 pounds and hike over rocky, steep, and rough terrain in remote locations.
  • Possess a valid U.S. driver’s license and the ability to safely drive a 4WD vehicle through rugged conditions.
  • Ability to implement and adhere to established data collection protocols.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate well with coworkers, supervisor, state personnel, and private landowners.
  • Ability to maintain a positive and mature attitude.
  • Must be able to thrive in remote desert locations with little access to certain amenities.

Preferred:

  • Prior experience setting and maintaining hair snares and camera traps.
  • Prior experience capturing and collaring bears, or other large carnivores.
  • Familiarity with safety in hot/arid climates.
  • Experience with chemical immobilization.
  • Basic mechanical skills.

Staffing Reason:

Institutional

Primary Responsibilities:

Technician(s) are needed to support a black bear research project in west Texas. After a 30+ year absence, black bears are starting to recolonize this part of Texas. Researchers with the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University have initiated a multi-year study exploring many aspects of the recolonizing population’s ecology.

Technician will work under the direction of the project graduate students and supervisory researchers. Depending on time-of-year, duties may include trapping logistics and animalhandling, operating camera traps, running hair snares, data collection and organization, and sample processing.
Position(s) in the spring and fall and will last for 3 months. The position may require long/early days and weekend work. Applicants are expected to be self-motivated, work well independently as well as in a team, and be able to follow instructions. Applicants are expected to be able to effectively navigate rough terrain both on foot and by vehicle (UTV & 4×4 truck).
* Start date: Pending* End date: Pending* Pay: $18/hr* For more information, contact Matt Hewitt, matthew.hewitt@sulross.edu or Caitlin Camp,caitlin.camp.@sulross.edu

Other Information:

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

It is the policy of Sul Ross State University to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons in accordance with their individual, job related qualifications and without consideration of race, creed, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and ancestry. Equal employment opportunities shall be afforded in all personnel actions or decisions including, but not necessarily limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, upgrading, promotion, demotion, termination and salary. Retaliation is prohibited against a person who opposes a discriminatory practice, files a charge, testifies, assists or participates in an investigative proceeding or hearing.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

The Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at https://srinfo.sulross.edu/udps/The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.

A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. If you would like to receive a paper copy, you can contact the Office of Student Life, located on the Alpine Campus in the Morgan University Center, Room 211 or you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling 432-837-8424 or emailing stulife@sulross.edu

About SRSU:

Our campuses span a fascinating part of Texas—Alpine, in the heart of the beautiful Big Bend area, and Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Uvalde along the vibrant, bicultural Texas/Mexico border.

What you’ve heard is true – there is something very special about the areas we serve in our great State, and Sul Ross State University is vital to the continued growth and progress of our students and the communities we serve.

Sul Ross State provides students with the education they need to translate their passions into a fulfilling career. This life-changing experience has a multi-generational impact, transforming the lives of our students, their families and positively impacting the communities in which they reside. We value learning and strive to provide high quality education in a welcoming, supportive environment. We take pride in the fact that we serve a diverse population including many first-generation college students as well as non-traditional students, international students, student-athletes and graduate students.

From teaching, coaching and law enforcement, to science, ranch management and the Fine Arts, SRSU offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Known as the Frontier University of Texas, Sul Ross encourages each student to explore their own frontiers and to exceed their educational, personal and professional goals.

For more information about how we’re strategizing for the future, I invite you to visit www.sulross.edu.

Is Background Check Required?:

Yes

Organization

Working at Sul Ross State University

Called "Possibly the most underrated little university west of the Mississippi" by CBS's Dan Rather, Sul Ross State University in West Texas boasts a combination of small class sizes, an appreciation of both fine arts and the sciences and popular professional programs in a relaxed, friendly environment.

Who Is Sul Ross? Where is Sul Ross?
The university's name honors Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross, the son of a pioneer Waco, Texas, family and a popular soldier, governor, educator and humanitarian. Founded in 1917 as a teacher college, Sul Ross continues to offer teacher education as one of its most popular programs. Others in high demand are business, criminal justice and agricultural and natural resource sciences. Sul Ross achieved university status in 1969.

The university, comprising 647 acres in Alpine, Texas, boasts a beautiful 93-acre main campus of exquisitely-detailed buildings and enjoys perhaps the most temperate climate in the state. Its situation in the Davis Mountains overlooks the center of the city below, yet it remains within easy reach of many local stores and restaurants. The university also has a 468-acre working ranch that serves its animal science programs.

Located in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde, the Middle Rio Grande Campuses offer upper level and graduate courses.  Our professors provide hands on learning in ways that relate to our students and their passion for higher education.  Courses are accessible via interactive television, online learning communities, and face to face classes

Sul Ross State University is part of The Texas State University System, the largest college system in the state after the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems.

A Small Size, But Plenty to Do
With an enrollment of about 2,000 students on the main campus in Alpine, class sizes are small, guaranteeing a much higher level of personal attention from instructors and the university's support staff. But there's plenty for students to do in their free time: lots of student clubs and organizations, a thriving arts community and a strong athletic tradition.

The SRSU men's basketball team won the conference championship five times in the past 20 years, including the 1999 American Southwest Conference championship. The women's basketball team has also won five conference championships and played in eight national playoffs, even making it to the Final Four.

Similarly, the Lobos football and baseball teams have won five conference titles each in the past 20 years, including American Southwest Conference championships in the late 1990s. The Lady Lobos volleyball team has won nine conference championships in all.

Rodeo is significant part of the Sul Ross program, and the university is the birthplace of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Many team members have gone on to become world champions, and 1951 graduate Harley May is a charter member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame.

Company info
Website
Telephone
432-837-8243
Location
Box C-13
Alpine
Texas
79832
United States

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