Field Technicians

• Bachelor's degree, vocational training (Formación Profesional) or equivalent in Biology, Environmental Sciences, Forestry or a related field
• Previous experience in ecological fieldwork, preferably involving plant and/or insect surveys
• Keen interest in plant and pollinator communities
• Ability to work outdoors for extended periods and under variable weather conditions
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with good organizational skills and attention to detail
• Good communication skills and working knowledge of Spanish and English
• Driver's license (category B)

• An interdisciplinary and inspiring work environment.
• Quiet and spacious workspaces.
• Possibility of participating in internal training and academic activities of the
• 35-hour work week
• 30 days of vacation per year

The positions will carry a competitive salary in line with BC3 salary scales for technical staff and proportional to the working time of each position, and excellent work conditions.

As an HR Excellence-awarded institution, BC3 is committed to reconciling research and academic requirements with family responsibilities. BC3 is particularly concerned with creating equal opportunities for people regardless of sex and gender. Anyone with relevant qualifications is therefore strongly encouraged to apply for the position.

The Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) offers two field technician positions (one full-time and one part-time) to support the research activities of Research Line (RL) 3 on Terrestrial Ecosystems, and specifically to work on the project URBLOOM, funded by (Biodiversa +).

RL 3 includes two Research Groups (RGs) and the technicians will be included within the RG 3.2: Global Change Impacts on Ecosystem Functioning and Services, which focuses on impacts of global change on biodiversity, species interactions, and ecosystem functioning and services in natural and agricultural landscapes. The goal of the RL is to provide a sound scientific base to improve and inform management practices.

URBLOOM, led by Dr. Ainhoa Magrach is a European research project funded by Biodiversa+ that investigates how the design and management of urban flower beds can support biodiversity, and pollinators in particular, in urban green spaces. The project combines surveys of green space managers on current planting and maintenance practices with a coordinated field experiment across several European cities, including Vitoria-Gasteiz, Toulouse, Marseille and Munich, spanning different bioclimatic regions. In each city, experimental flower beds will be installed in public parks following a common protocol, using the same plant material, so that the responses of plant and pollinator communities can be compared across regions. The project also includes a public engagement component to raise awareness of the value of urban floral resources for biodiversity.

Position 1: Field technician, full-time, for an initial period of 5 months, extendable to 8 months

Position 2: Field technician, part-time (1/3 of full-time working hours), for a period of 12 months

The field technicians will support the field data collection of the project, as well as the processing of samples and the management of the data generated. The positions offer an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in ecological research within a dynamic and international research team.

Field activities will take place in public parks in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where a network of experimental flower beds will be installed and monitored following a common protocol shared by all partner cities. Tasks will include soil preparation and planting of the experimental flower beds, as well as their regular maintenance (manual weeding, replacement of dead plants and recording of all management operations). The technicians will apply and control the experimental watering treatments, measuring the water volume supplied to each flower bed, and will collect soil samples before planting. They will also take part in floral nectar measurements at a protected site, which involve bagging flowers and returning to sample them after 24 hours, and in the monitoring of flowering plants and pollinator visits to the flower beds. Fieldwork will be concentrated during the flowering season (spring-summer 2027) and may occasionally require flexible working hours depending on weather conditions.

• Carry out field surveys following standardized sampling protocols
• Collect, label and preserve biological samples and specimens
• Assist in the set-up and maintenance of field sites and experiments
• Enter, organize and quality-check field data
• Support the laboratory processing of samples (e.g., specimen preparation and sorting)
• Collaborate with the rest of the team in the planning and logistics of field campaigns

Position 1 (full-time) will be for an initial period of 5 months, extendable to 8 months. Position 2 (part-time, 1/3 of full-time working hours) will be for a period of 12 months. The envisaged starting date is January 2027 for Position 2 (part-time) and March 2027 for Position 1 (full-time)."