Our field season runs from May to August. Crews typically work a 5 to 11 day shift followed by 2 to 5 days off. Once hired, summer field technologists receive a tentative schedule of the shifts and days off for the duration of the summer. Field work is often unpredictable, with weather and wildfires driving changes to our schedules. We require technologists to be very flexible and adaptable to the ever- changing schedule and tasks, though we do our best to maintain the dates of days off. Training occurs at one of our central base locations, while field work occurs across the province in crews of two.

Technologists can expect occasional long drives to different stations and sites. Crews are often isolated during their field shifts, where they are provided basic accommodation in post secondary residences, travel trailers, or tents. During the field season and during days off, accommodation will be provided at one of the central bases for the duration of the contract. Equipment and training required to access sites and complete field work is provided (4x4 trucks, ATVs, backpacks, safety certificates etc.).

Conditions vary according to where in the province sites are situated. All crews have the potential to work in relatively remote areas of the province, from grasslands to boreal forests. This sort of field work exposes technologists to a variety of challenges that vary among sites: some sites may involve overgrown thickets of alder or very wet conditions, while others can be open and easy to navigate. This tends to even out over the course of the season and among all sites, but in general, field work is challenging.